MAS308 Natural Gas Engineering: From Exploration to Processing

Contents and structure

The course is designed to equip participants with a comprehensive and up-to-date understanding of the natural gas industry. It covers a broad range of topics, including the production, processing, storage, transportation, and energy conversion of natural gas. Additionally, the course explores the production and utilization of biogas and hydrogen, while also placing significant emphasis on environmental and safety considerations of natural gas.

Course Overview:

• Overview of the Norwegian Gas Industry: Production, pipelines, gas plants, and export.
• Introduction to Conventional and Shale Gas: History, origin, and terminology.
• Introduction to Biogas, Syngas, and Hydrogen.
• Production of Natural Gas: Geology, field exploration, and drilling techniques.
• Natural Gas Thermodynamics and Energy Conversion: Multiphase flow, gas mixtures, gas properties, compressibility, and the Joule-Thomson effect.
• Natural Gas Compression and Liquefaction.
• Introduction to Turbomachinery: Pumping, compression, and expansion.
• Processing of Natural Gas: Conditions and processes such as separation, dehydration, sweetening, and condensate removal.

Learning Outcome

The course will provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the natural gas industry, from well to market, and introduce them to biogas production. Upon completion of the course, students will have achieved the following learning outcomes, defined in terms of knowledge, skills, and general competence:

Knowledge:

• Have an understanding of the Norwegian gas industry, including gas plants, terminals, and pipelines.
• Be able to understand the essential features of natural gas and biogas production.
• Be able to describe the basic principles of natural gas processing.

Skills:

• Be able to explain the operation of a typical natural gas processing plant.
• Be able to evaluate the water content in natural gas using thermodynamic charts.
• Be able to predict and evaluate hydrate formation in natural gas pipelines and processing systems.

Competence:

• Be able to discuss the environmental significance of natural gas and biogas.
• Be proficient in using thermodynamic charts to solve related problems.
• Be capable of analyzing and solving a variety of problems related to the subject, both independently and in groups.

Entry requirements

No prerequisite

Recommended previous knowledge

Thermodynamics and chemistry

Teaching methods

The course will feature a blend of physical and online lectures, interactive tutorials, self-study, and multimedia resources to engage students and enhance knowledge retention. The coursework project will be completed in groups. Additionally, one hour each week will be allocated for supervision to support students with their coursework or tutorials.

Compulsory learning activities

Presentation of the project-based report.

Assessment

The assessment is project-based. Students, individually or in groups of up to three students, will work on pre-selected assignments related to gas technology. In addition to the course lectures, one-on-one supervision will be provided. At the end of the term, students will submit their reports, which will account for 100% of the final grade.

Grading scale is A-F where F is fail.

Examination support material

All support material is permitted. For more information about Artificial intelligence (AI) please see Submission of home exams and assignments.

More about examination support material

Course reductions

• MAS104 - Gassteknologi og termiske maskiner - Reduction: 5 studypoints
• TVM040 - Gassteknologi - Reduction: 5 studypoints