Helium Plant Process Study
Oil & Gas | Upstream
Location | Wyoming
The Challenge
A client required a detailed process engineering study to evaluate the technical and economic feasibility of developing a new helium recovery facility. The project involved determining the optimal method for extracting marketable helium from a complex produced gas stream containing acid gases and other contaminants. The challenge lay in balancing multiple design priorities—including helium recovery efficiency, emissions compliance, and integration with downstream nitrogen rejection and membrane systems—while ensuring scalability and cost effectiveness. The client also needed a clear understanding of how various process configurations would impact capital investment, operating costs, and long-term performance.
The Solution
Halker executed a comprehensive process engineering study to define and optimize treatment strategies for helium extraction. The team developed detailed process models evaluating several configurations, including CO₂ bulk removal with secondary solvents such as Rectisol and Selexol, membrane-based separations, single-stage solvent treatment, and helium-only recovery cases. Each scenario was simulated to determine unit sizing, power requirements, emissions impacts, and downstream equipment performance.
From the initial analysis, two lead cases were selected for deeper evaluation, balancing recovery efficiency with both CAPEX and OPEX considerations. Halker collaborated closely with leading technology providers—including Linde, UOP, and Dow—to validate process assumptions, assess commercial viability, and confirm compatibility with challenging gas compositions containing COS and elemental sulfur. Optimization efforts focused on minimizing acid gas and sulfur compound loading into downstream systems while maintaining emissions within minor source limits.
The study also addressed supporting systems outside the core process model, including mercury removal, emergency relief systems, utility requirements, and startup sequencing. Final deliverables comprised process flow diagrams, emissions summaries, consumables and equipment lists, and detailed stream compositions. Halker further evaluated scalable buildout strategies to accommodate future throughput of up to 400 MMSCFD, considering modular train configurations and SIMOPS constraints for phased construction.
Through this rigorous technical evaluation, Halker provided the client with a clear path forward—identifying the most efficient, scalable, and commercially viable helium recovery solutions while highlighting opportunities for future design optimization and risk reduction.