Gas condensate can be used to make both fuel and plastic. The main thing is to stabilize it by removing unnecessary admixtures.
How it is separated
Any condensate is obtained after the transition of a gaseous substance into a liquid state due to a drop in pressure or temperature. There are not only gas fields but also gas condensate fields in the subsurface. When pressure and temperature decrease as a result of drilling a well, gas condensate – a mixture of liquid hydrocarbons separated from gas – is formed.
White oil
As a rule, this is a transparent fluid, but color can change from straw to almond due to oil admixtures depending on the depth from which it was extracted. Gas condensate is sometimes called “white oil” and can be used as fuel.
Gas condensate extracted directly from a well is called “unstable”. It is stabilized after cleaning from admixtures and degassing.
Fuel and aromatic hydrocarbons
Main areas of gas condensate processing include fuel and petrochemistry ones. High-octane petrol, as well as jet, diesel, and boiler fuels are produced from gas condensate. Petrochemical processing of gas condensate involves obtaining aromatics, olefins, and other monomers (small molecules) that are used in the production of plastics, synthetic rubbers, fibers, and resins.
In 2010, Gazprom Group produced 11.3 million tons of gas condensate. Reserves of gas condensate owned by Gazprom amount to 1.3 billion tons.
How is natural gas transported
After gas has been extracted from the land or sea subsurface, it needs to be delivered to consumers. The length of gas pipelines and gas distribution networks multiply exceeds the circumference of the Earth.
How are hydrocarbon fields discovered
Prospecting new fields is the job of geologists and geoscientists. They have technical and chemical means which help identify accumulations of hydrocarbons fairly precisely. However, the only way to know for sure is to drill a well.