Abstract: Process for producing purified hydrocarbon gas from a gas stream comprising hydrocarbons and acidic contaminants, which process comprises the steps of: (a) contacting the gas stream with one or more membranes to obtain a hydrocarbon-rich retentate and a acidic contaminant-rich permeate; (b) cooling the hydrocarbon-rich retentate in a cooling stage to form a mixture comprising solid and/or liquid acidic contaminants and a vapour comprising vaporous hydrocarbons; (c) separating solid and/or liquid acidic contaminants from the mixture, yielding the purified hydrocarbon gas.

Abstract: Acidic contaminants are removed from a natural gas stream comprising hydrocarbons and acidic contaminants in a process comprising the steps of: (a) expanding the natural gas stream, thereby cooling the natural gas stream and allowing at least part of the acidic contaminants to liquefy with the proviso that no solid acidic contaminants are formed, thereby obtaining a cooled natural gas stream that contains liquefied acidic contaminants; (b) separating at least part of the liquefied acidic contaminants from the cooled natural gas stream in a separator comprising centrifugal separation means, to obtain a contaminants-depleted natural gas stream; and (c) treating the contaminants-depleted natural gas stream with a liquid physical solvent to obtain a sweet natural gas stream and a liquid solution of acidic contaminants.