Natural gas -- Determination of composition with defined uncertainty by gas chromatography -- Part 4: Determination of nitrogen, carbon dioxide and C1 to C5 and C6+ hydrocarbons for a laboratory and on-line measuring system using two columns

Document Number: NL ISO 6974 4 : 2015
Sector: Petroleum and related Technologies
TC: NL TC 28
ICS:
This part of ISO 6974 describes a gas chromatographic method for the quantitative determination of natural gas constituents using a two-column system. This method is applicable to determinations made in on-line processes or in the laboratory. It is applicable to the analysis of gases containing constituents within the mole fraction ranges given in Table 1. These ranges do not represent the limits of detection, but the limits within which the stated precision of the method applies. Although one or more components in a sample may not be detected present, the method can still be applicable. This part of ISO 6974 is only applicable if used in conjunction with parts 1 and 2 of ISO 6974. Table 1 — Application ranges Component Mole fraction range % Nitrogen 0,001 to 15,0 Carbon dioxide 0,001 to 10 Methane 75 to 100 Ethane 0,001 to 10,0 Propane 0,001 to 3,0 iso -Butane (2-methylpropane) 0,001 to 1,0 n -Butane 0,001 to 1,0 neo -Pentane (2,2-dimethylpropane) 0,001 to 0,5 iso -Pentane (2-methylbutane) 0,001 to 0,5 n -Pentane 0,001 to 0,5 Hexanes sum of all C6 and higher hydrocarbons 0,001 to 0,2 NOTE 1 Oxygen is not a normal constituent of natural gas and would not be expected to be present in gas sampled for an on-line instrument. If any oxygen is present as a result of air contamination, it will be measured with the nitrogen. The resulting (nitrogen oxygen) value will be in error to a small extent because of the slight difference between detector responses for oxygen and nitrogen. Nonetheless, the result for the natural gas/air mixture will be reasonably accurate since neither component contributes to the calorific value. NL ISO 6974-4:2015 ISO 6974-4:2000(E) 2 © ISO 2000 – All rights reserved NOTE 2 The content of helium and argon are assumed to be negligible and unvarying such that helium and argon need not be determined.