Extraction of natural gas from shale formations has increased the focus on determining the quality of the gas extracted and processed. One of the key attributes of natural gas during its various stages of processing is its “Hydrocarbon Dew point”. This figure refers to the temperature at which the gas stream undergoes a phase transition to liquid at a given pressure. The knowledge of this figure is essential in the operation of natural gas pipelines, storage, as well as gas-powered turbines.

We have recently developed a new method for the accurate and unambiguous detection of this key parameter. CEIRS™ (Chilled-Evanescent Infra-Red Spectroscopy) uses a novel implementation of InfraRed spectroscopy to detect the Hydrocarbon Dew point while eliminating potential interferences in its measurement. In this paper, we present details of this method and compare the results with GC-based theoretical calculations. This method is also compared to manual chilled-mirror measurements. Long-term field data from measurement of this property is also presented.