Altus Midstream Is First To Implement New Honeywell UOP Cryogenic Gas Processing Technology

Texas site marks first global use of Ortloff SRX technology for natural gas liquids extraction

Honeywell today announced that Altus Midstream has implemented Ortloff SRX technology from Honeywell UOP at its Diamond Central cryogenic gas processing complex, marking the first global application of the new technology to recover valuable natural gas liquids (NGLs) from feed gas. The Reeves County, Texas facility began operation in May 2019, now can process up to 600 million standard cubic feet per day of natural gas.

The SRX technology passed performance testing while recovering more than 99% of ethane and 100% of propane in ethane recovery mode, and more than 99% propane in ethane rejection mode at design capacity.

“The Ortloff SRX technology is the most flexible on the market for high-recovery of NGLs and liquefied petroleum gas, providing Altus the flexibility to react to ethane market fluctuations while maintaining more than 99% recovery of propane and heavier hydrocarbons,” said Ben Owens, vice president and general manager of UOP’s Gas Processing Technologies business. “Altus sought to maximize its potential in an NGL-rich region of the Permian Basin, and SRX delivered a cost-efficient technology that maximizes flexibility.”

Ortloff, which became part of UOP in 2018, brings the industry’s most advanced expertise in the recovery of high-value NGLs from natural gas streams. Ortloff technologies are specialized to maximize NGL recovery, providing customers with high operational flexibility and greater returns on plant investments. Ortloff also specializes in unique technologies for removing sulfur from refinery feedstocks, ensuring greater plant reliability and operability over the refinery lifecycle.

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, U.S. demand for NGLs is growing by more than 10% annually. NGLs and liquefied petroleum gas are in high demand as petrochemical feedstocks used in the production of plastics, automotive parts, detergents and countless other products.

Through its consolidated subsidiaries, Altus Midstream Company owns gas gathering, processing and transportation assets in the Permian Basin of West Texas. Altus owns equity interests in four Permian-to-Gulf Coast pipelines.

Honeywell UOP’s Gas Processing Technologies business offers technology, equipment and materials to treat and process natural gas. Its gas processing technologies remove water, sulfur, carbon dioxide, mercury and other contaminants from raw natural gas and separates NGLs from natural gas streams.