Membrane desulfuration of natural gas in humid conditions

Abstract

The process temperature is at least 30°C and the relative humidity is at least 30%. The natural gas feed stream has an H2S / CO2 ratio of 3 or more. The method includes feeding a natural gas feed stream from a gas-liquid separator to a polymer membrane of a membrane separation system, wherein the polymer membrane has a selectivity for H2S / CH4 of at least 10 and a selectivity for CO2 / CH4 of at least 5 at the pressure, temperature and relative humidity of the natural gas feed stream.