Abstract: A system and methods for recovering helium from a natural gas stream are disclosed. The system may include a cold box configured to chill a feed stream and a cryogenic stripper column configured to separate the feed stream into a gaseous top stream and a liquid bottom stream. The gaseous top stream includes an enhanced concentration of helium. A Joule-Thompson (J-T) valve is configured to flash at least a portion of the liquid bottom stream into a first gaseous stream into a heat exchanger in a cold box to chill the feed stream.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for producing a helium-enriched vapor stream, a methane-enriched vapor stream, and a liquid stream enriched in hydrocarbons heavier than methane from a pressurized, multicomponent, multiphase stream comprising methane (C1), helium (He) and hydrocarbons heavier than methane (C2+). The process includes cooling the multiphase stream to produce at least one vapor stream enriched in helium and at least one liquid stream, withdrawing at least a portion of the at least one vapor stream as a helium-enriched product stream, passing at least a portion of the at least one liquid stream to a demethanizer, withdrawing from the demethanizer a vapor enriched in methane (C1), and withdrawing from the demethanizer a liquid enriched in hydrocarbons heavier than methane (C2+).

Abstract: The invention is directed to a method of fueling gas turbines from natural gas reserves with relatively low methane concentrations. The invention uses such reserves to generate electric power. The invention permits the use of these reserves at significantly lower cost than by producing pipeline natural gas to fuel gas turbines to generate electric power. These reserves currently generally are used only after the removal of impurities to produce pipeline natural gas quality turbine fuel. The latter current technology is capital intensive, and at current natural gas prices, economically unattractive. The process of the invention can remove the impurities from the gas from the natural gas reserve necessary for protection of the environment and leaves inert gasses in the fuel in an amount which will increase the output of a gas turbine for the generation of power by about 5 to about 20%.