Gas Compression
Gas Gathering & Processing
Gas gathering and processing is where the upstream and midstream worlds meet — collecting raw gas from production fields and preparing it for pipeline transport, NGL extraction and downstream use. It is the most variable and unpredictable compression environment in the gas industry, with gas composition, contaminant levels and operating conditions shifting as field production evolves and seasonal conditions change.
NEXT Lubricants supports gas gathering and processing with compressor lubricants developed for the specific gas composition challenges of wellhead compression, field gathering and early-stage gas processing.
Compression process
Gas Gathering & Processing — Process, Applications & Compressor Role
Gas at the gathering stage is raw, wet and variable — typically containing heavier hydrocarbons, moisture, CO₂, H₂S and other contaminants at concentrations that differ between reservoirs, production stages and seasonal conditions. Unlike pipeline-quality gas downstream, gathered gas composition changes continuously as wells deplete and new wells come online, meaning the compressor at a gathering point may handle meaningfully different gas from one year to the next. This variability is the defining characteristic of gas gathering compression — and the primary reason lubricant selection benefits from assessment of the actual gas conditions at the specific installation.
Compressors in gas gathering service typically operate at lower suction pressures than transmission or processing compressors, with wellhead pressure declining over the producing life of the field — requiring either compression ratio adjustment or recompression as field pressures fall. Gas processing compressors handle gas at various stages of treatment — from early dehydration through NGL extraction and condensate stabilisation — each with different gas compositions and lubrication requirements depending on the stage of processing.
Wellhead & Field Gathering Compression
Compressors at individual wellheads or central gathering points collect gas from production wells and compression at low suction pressures, raising it to the pressures required for transport through field gathering networks to central processing facilities.
Field Gathering Networks
Larger gathering compressors collect gas from multiple wellheads across a production field, handling variable flow rates and gas compositions as production rates and well mix change across the gathering network.
Gas Dehydration & Early Processing
Compressors support the first stages of gas treatment — dehydration, H₂S removal and early NGL separation — where gas composition is still variable and contaminant levels are higher than in downstream processing stages.
NGL Extraction & Condensate Stabilisation
Compressors handle gas streams through NGL extraction and condensate stabilisation processes, recovering heavier hydrocarbon fractions from the gas stream and raising lean sales gas to pipeline export pressures.
Related Applications
Explore Other Gas Compression Applications
Gas gathering and processing is one part of NEXT Lubricants’ gas compression application range. We also support the following applications.
Carbon Capture & CCUS Infrastructure
Compression of captured CO₂ from power generation and industrial sources for pipeline transport and geological storage in carbon capture and storage projects.
Sour Gas Compression
Compression of gas streams containing hydrogen sulphide (H₂S) and carbon dioxide (CO₂) where gas composition places specific demands on materials and lubricant compatibility.
Hydrocarbon Gas Compression
Process gas compression in oil refining and gas processing across a range of hydrocarbon gas streams and operating conditions.
Petrochemical Gas Compression
Process gas compression in petrochemical manufacturing where gas streams include reactive and specialty components under demanding operating conditions.