The dehydration of natural gas is defined as the removal of the water that is associated with the natural gas in the vapor form. It has long been recognized that the dehydration of natural gases is necessary to ensure efficient operation of gas transmission lines. The removal of the water vapor prevents the formation of gas hydrates and reduces corrosion in the pipelines. It also improves the efficiency of the pipelines by reducing liquid accumulations at low spots in the lines.
One of the most popular methods of dehydration of natural gas now in use is an absorption process employing diethylene or triethylene glycol as the dessicant. Triethylene glycol has a high affinity for water vapor that is to be removed from the natural gas stream and also has other desirable properties such as non-corrosiveness, ease of regeneration and generally low chemical losses.
