Patent ID: 7568363

Claim:
A process for producing a methane-rich stream from a crude containing natural gas, which process comprises: (a) supplying the crude to a stabilization unit to obtain a gaseous stream and crude oil; (b) cooling the gaseous stream at an elevated pressure and supplying the gaseous stream at a low temperature to the bottom of a first column; (c) removing from the top of the first column a first gaseous overhead stream, partly condensing the gaseous overhead stream, separating the liquid phase from the partly condensed overhead stream to obtain a methane-rich stream, returning the liquid phase to the top of the first column; (d) removing a bottom stream from the first column, allowing the bottom stream to expand to a lower pressure, and supplying the expanded bottom stream at a low temperature to the top of a second column; (e) removing from the top of the second column a second gaseous overhead stream, and removing from the bottom of the second column a liquid bottom stream; (f) vaporizing part of the liquid bottom stream and introducing the vapour into the bottom of the second column; and (g) introducing the remainder of the liquid bottom stream into a crude oil stream at an appropriate point in or upstream of the stabilization unit, wherein the amount of heat removed from the first gaseous overhead stream is so adjusted that the concentration of C 5 + in the first gaseous overhead stream is below a predetermined value, and wherein the fraction of the liquid bottom stream from the second column that is vaporized is so selected that the concentration of C 2 − in the liquid bottom stream is below a predetermined level.