Enhanced natural gas liquid (NGL) recovery

This invention relates to improving hydrocarbon liquids recovery in oil and gas production onshore and offshore fixed or floating installations. The new invention could use a conventional absorption column or a novel absorption column to re-contact a proportion of the export crude oil, stabilized oil or condensate with the gas to maximise hydrocarbon liquid recovery. The recovered hydrocarbons could be methane or heavier hydrocarbons. The crude oil used in the absorption process could originate from a three-phase separator or a storage tank. Quite often it is necessary to store the produced crude oil in a storage tank for final water separation or for other operational reasons. This invention enables such crude oil to be exported with a higher True Vapour Pressure, TVP. The new method can offer greater hydrocarbon liquids recovery within the vapour pressure limitations of the export oil pipeline, with lower maintenance and operating cost than associated with conventional cooling or refrigeration.