Altus commissions Alpine High gas processing complex

Houston-based Altus Midstream Co.—which owns substantially all gas gathering, processing, and transportation assets servicing Apache Corp.’s production in the Delaware basin’s Alpine High play—has completed startup of all three cryogenic natural gas processing trains at its Diamond Cryo Complex (DCC) in Alpine High, in southern Reeves County, Tex. (OGJ Online, Aug. 9, 2018).

Commissioned over phases beginning in May 2019, each of the DCC’s 200-MMcfd processing trains—which are equipped with Honeywell UOP LLC’s proprietary Ortloff supplemental rectification with reflux (SRX) processing technology—are in operation, enabling the complex to process up to 600 MMcfd of natural gas produced in the region, the service provider said on Jan. 31.

Marking the first global application of the new technology to optimize processing economics with better NGL recoveries in both ethane recovery and rejection mode vs. more commonly used processing methods in the Permian basin, Ortloff SRX technology passed performance testing at the site while recovering more than 99% of ethane and 100% of propane in ethane recovery mode, and more than 99% propane in ethane rejection mode at design capacity.

Altus Midstream selected Ortloff SRX technology because it provides the operator flexibility to react to ethane market fluctuations while maintaining more than 99% recovery of propane and heavier hydrocarbons, helping the company to maximize its potential in the NGL-rich region of the Permian basin, said Ben Owens, vice-president and general manager of UOP’s gas processing technologies business.

Upon announcing startup of DCC’s first processing train in 2019, Clay Bretches, chief executive officer and president of Altus Midstream, said selection of the Ortloff SRX technology would drive better recoveries, which would drive enhanced netbacks for primary customer Apache as well as provide a competitive advantage for third-party business (OGJ Online, June 5, 2019).

Altus Midstream previously said the DCC also will be producing an estimated 60,000-75,000 b/d of NGLs for Apache.

Construction activities wrapped on the DCC in late 2019 (OGJ Online, Dec. 4, 2019).