Estimate Natural Gas Liquids (NGL) recovery rates based on gas flow and GPM richness.
Volume in MMscfd (Million Standard Cubic Feet per Day)
Gallons of NGL per Mcf (1,000 cubic feet)
Plant efficiency percentage (%)
Price per Barrel ($/bbl)
Calculation Results
Daily NGL Production (Barrels):–
Daily NGL Production (Gallons):–
Raw NGL Volume Potential (Unrecovered):–
Estimated Daily Revenue:–
Understanding NGL Rates and Calculations
In the oil and gas midstream sector, determining the NGL (Natural Gas Liquids) Rate is critical for evaluating the economics of a gas processing plant or a specific well stream. This calculator determines the volume of liquid hydrocarbons (Ethane, Propane, Butane, and heavier components) that can be extracted from a raw natural gas stream.
How to Calculate NGL Production
The calculation is primarily based on the gas flow rate and the "richness" of the gas, measured in GPM (Gallons per Thousand Cubic Feet). The core formula used in the industry is:
Gas Flow (MMscfd): Million Standard Cubic Feet per Day. Since GPM is based on "Mcf" (thousand cubic feet), we multiply MMscfd by 1,000 to align units.
GPM (Gallons per Mcf): This figure is derived from gas chromatography analysis. Lean gas might have a GPM of 1-2, while rich gas can exceed 6-8 GPM.
Recovery Factor: No plant is 100% efficient. Cryogenic plants may recover 90-99% of Ethane+, while simple refrigeration units recover significantly less.
42: This is the standard conversion factor, as there are 42 U.S. gallons in one barrel of oil or NGLs.
Why GPM Matters
The GPM metric is the industry standard for valuation. A higher GPM indicates "wet" or "rich" gas, which generally commands higher value because the separated liquids (NGLs) are often worth more than the methane gas residue (in terms of thermal content and market price). This calculator helps engineers and financial analysts quickly estimate the daily barrel output from a specific gas stream.
Recovery Modes: Ethane Rejection vs. Recovery
One critical variable in NGL rates is Ethane. In "Ethane Recovery" mode, the plant captures Ethane (C2) as a liquid. In "Ethane Rejection" mode, Ethane is left in the residue gas stream to be sold as natural gas. This calculator assumes a blended GPM; if you are in rejection mode, your input GPM should exclude the Ethane component to get an accurate liquid rate.
function calculateNGLRate() {
// Get input values
var flowInput = document.getElementById('gasFlow').value;
var gpmInput = document.getElementById('gasGPM').value;
var effInput = document.getElementById('recoveryEff').value;
var priceInput = document.getElementById('pricePerBbl').value;
// Parse values
var flow = parseFloat(flowInput);
var gpm = parseFloat(gpmInput);
var efficiency = parseFloat(effInput);
var price = parseFloat(priceInput);
// Validation
if (isNaN(flow) || flow < 0) {
alert("Please enter a valid Gas Flow Rate.");
return;
}
if (isNaN(gpm) || gpm < 0) {
alert("Please enter a valid GPM value.");
return;
}
if (isNaN(efficiency) || efficiency 100) {
alert("Please enter a valid Efficiency percentage (0-100).");
return;
}
// Logic
// 1 MMscfd = 1,000 Mcf/d
var flowMcfd = flow * 1000;
// Potential Gallons = Flow (Mcf) * GPM
var potentialGallons = flowMcfd * gpm;
// Actual Recovered Gallons = Potential * (Efficiency / 100)
var actualGallons = potentialGallons * (efficiency / 100);
// Barrels per Day (bpd) = Gallons / 42
var bpd = actualGallons / 42;
// Revenue Calculation
var revenue = 0;
var revenueText = "N/A (Price not set)";
if (!isNaN(price) && price > 0) {
revenue = bpd * price;
revenueText = "$" + revenue.toLocaleString('en-US', {minimumFractionDigits: 2, maximumFractionDigits: 2});
}
// Display Results
document.getElementById('resBpd').innerText = bpd.toLocaleString('en-US', {minimumFractionDigits: 2, maximumFractionDigits: 2}) + " bpd";
document.getElementById('resGal').innerText = actualGallons.toLocaleString('en-US', {minimumFractionDigits: 0, maximumFractionDigits: 0}) + " gal/day";
document.getElementById('resPotential').innerText = (potentialGallons / 42).toLocaleString('en-US', {minimumFractionDigits: 2, maximumFractionDigits: 2}) + " bpd (Theoretical)";
document.getElementById('resRevenue').innerText = revenueText;
// Show result box
document.getElementById('nglResult').style.display = 'block';
}