Garo wins Repsol award for second Flare Gas System in Tarragona.

When Repsol’s Tarragona Refinery sought to add a second flare gas recovery system to their facility, they turned to Garo, their trusted partner of 15 years, to provide an efficient and reliable solution!

Seeking to further optimize their refinery operations while recovering dangerous greenhouse emissions, Repsol operators turned to the experts in flare gas recovery: Garo. With 1 GARO liquid ring compressor already in operation, supplied in 2004; Repsol was confident that Garo could supply a compressor that would not only be able to meet again the company’s rigorous process demands, but also the new performance and reliability requirements.

Flare Gas Recovery Systems Play an Important Role in Helping Refineries Boost Efficiency and Minimize Emissions

Flare gas recovery can play a crucial role in many refinery operations, helping petrochemical and oil & gas plants to minimize the amount of pollution generated by operations, and providing cost savings by allowing to capture and re-use the gas to fuel a range of equipment and processes in the refinery.
Typically, flare gas recovery systems function by feeding gas from the flare gas header, located upstream of the liquid seal drum, into a liquid ring compressor, initiating the compression phase. After compression, the gas, water and hydrocarbons are parted using a separator, with the gas being sent to a demister to minimize water content, then into an amine absorber where it is treated to remove H₂S. Once the gas has been scrubbed, it is then pushed to the fuel gas header to be re-used as fuel.
The condensed hydrocarbons and water are naturally separated by gravity. While the condensed hydrocarbons are discarded, the water is fed back into the liquid ring compressor via a suction line to ensure a continuous liquid sea

Providing a Tailored Solution

After evaluating all the customer’s new requirements, in addition to their operational data, the team at Garo proposed a skid-mounted package built around a one GARO AB 2500 liquid ring compressor. With a stainless steel construction and dual mechanical seals, GARO’s AB series of liquid ring compressors feature a pressure range of up to 13 bar abs, and a flow rate of up to 4000 Am³/h per compressor; ideal for safely processing gas with high H₂S content.
After completing the system design and engineering, the team at Garo will also perform package manufacturing, quality control, and Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT). Following delivery, the team will work with the customer during the commissioning and start-up phases, as well as providing on-site staff with the training required to operate and maintain the system.

The Expected Outcome

Commissioned for early 2021, the system will provide a complete return on investment in only several months and it will:

• Lower dangerous emissions. Recovering waste hydrocarbons will allow the refinery to reduce the amount of toxic gasses, such as hydrogen sulfide (H₂S), which are burned and released into the environment during the flaring process.
• Reduce operating costs. Recovered gasses have been repurposed and used as a fuel gas in the refinery’s process furnaces, gas turbines, Heat Recovery Steam Generators (HRSGs), and auxiliary boilers.
• Demonstrate social & environmental responsibility. Lowered emissions have allowed the customer to demonstrate an awareness and commitment to social responsibility and build good will within the surrounding community while operating well within strict environmental guidelines and regulations.