In 2007, the Gas Processing Plant was incorporated into SOCAR by the decree of the President of Azerbaijan. The Plant processes natural gas and condensate, commercial butane, propane-butane, natural gasoline, and heavy condensate and produces finished stock.
The Plant was designed in 1958 by GIPROAZNEFT Institute (USSR). Phase 1 of its construction commenced in 1961 with NGL Recovery units 5&6 of the Natural Gas Processing Production Area, Unit 7 (gas condensate and NGL fractionation), and associated auxiliary areas brought onstream. In Phase 2 (1963), NGL Recovery Units 4&5 were also brought onstream. Phase 3 (1964) saw the commissioning of NGL Recovery Units 1&2.
The original design capacity of the Plant was 4.5 bcma of natural gas and 675 kta of unstabilized condensate. As per the design, the Plant’s products should be processed by the Sumgait petrochemical complex in the next phase.
In 1986, the revamp of NGL Recovery units was completed, bringing the Plant’s annual capacity from 4.5 (with an operating pressure of 3.5 MPa) to 6.5 bcma (utilizing 6 NGL recovery units of the same type and same capacity).
The Plant was revamped using the design by YUZHNIIIPROGAZ Institute (Donetsk, Ukraine), whereby slotted trays in the 1st stage absorber K-1 were replaced with VNIIPIGAZ-designed sieve deck trays.
As part of the revamp project, the following activities were carried out:
- underground gas pipeline dismantled and installed on a pipe rack
- underground utility water pipeline dismantled and installed aboveground
- two gas metering stations installed.
Between 2007 and 2009, NGL Recovery units 1,2,3,4,5 of Process Shops 1-3 were subjected to overhaul. In Shop 4, the large-scale reform of finished and intermediate stock tanks was carried out, plus cutting-edge Optiflex 1300c level gages were installed. Flow meters were also installed and commissioned in Shop 7, including FloBoss 407-type devices to measure the feedstock and dry gas flow rate at the inlet and outlet of the Plant, respectively.
The Plant operates 8 (eight) production and service areas and various laboratories and storage.
Natural gas is used in the household and industry, and, as noted, it manufactures various products. In all cases, natural gas goes through the initial processing phase. Even the household gas is dried and cleaned before being discharged into the main gas pipeline. In addition, processed gas is used as a fuel for gas-powered cars. Thermal power plants use gas as a fuel to convert their energy into electricity. In addition, jet and diesel fuel, as well as boiler fuel, can be produced due to the primary physical processing of natural gas. In industry, natural gas is widely used as a source for many products (for example, plastic products). Natural gas is the main primary product for nitrogen fertilizers. It is necessary to conduct its initial physical processing to liquefy natural gas.