Germany-based BASF, a leading chemical company, has announced the commercial launch of Durasorb, a new family of adsorption solutions designed for natural gas processing.

Durasorb provides gas processing plant operators, especially liquefied natural gas (LNG) plants, with more reliable and more robust dehydration service, said a statement.

The new product family combines innovative materials developed from BASF’s unique Sorbead technology and proprietary design software to calculate the performance of the adsorbents in all parts of the dehydration vessel and maximise the overall performance and life of the bed, it said.

Based on design calculations, BASF natural gas experts choose the ideal combination of adsorbents out of the comprehensive BASF portfolio. The resulting installation ensures more efficient removal of water and hydrocarbons and solves regeneration-reflux problems.

With more robust and reliable products, Durasorb solutions support value creation at gas processing plants by increasing production capacity and deliverability of high-value cargoes, reducing bed sizes, increasing bed life, and enabling higher throughput rates.

Building on the success of development trials in North American gas processing plants, BASF has installed its first reference in an LNG pre-treatment plant. Plant operation of Durasorb verified the ability to improve dehydration systems’ durability which expands production potential, leading to higher yields of valuable products.

Detlef Ruff, senior vice president process catalysts at BASF, said: “Some of our core strengths are our innovative power, the extraordinary know-how of our natural gas experts and our deep experience with adsorption solutions.”

“The Durasorb offering combines those strengths and will help gas plants worldwide increase production of valuable cargoes and help position them for success,” Ruff said.

Sorbead Alumina-Silica gel was first introduced to the market in 1953 and has since been installed in hundreds of gas plants worldwide for hydrocarbon and water dew point control, membrane protection, underground storage operations and pipeline dehydration.

In 2017, BASF implemented a significant expansion of the Sorbead manufacturing plant in Nienburg Germany, demonstrating its commitment to grow this important global market. BASF entered the molecular sieve business in 2010 and has since developed innovative products that are resistant to hydrothermal damage.  

With a broad portfolio of adsorbent products, BASF technology experts use combination bed technology to provide customers with a tailored design, performance warranty, and unmatched service, it stated. – TradeArabia News Service