WHAT ARE NITROGEN REJECTION UNITS?
NiTech® Nitrogen Rejection Units (NRUs) remove nitrogen from natural gas streams while maximizing hydrocarbon recovery and minimizing operating costs. Processing capabilities range from 5 MMSCFD to more than 500 MMSCFD, with 46 successful installations to date. Designed for efficiency, reliability, and emissions reduction, NiTech® technology has been a cornerstone of BCCK’s gas processing expertise for more than 20 years.
NiTech® at a Glance
- 46 Successful Installations
- 20+ Years as the Most Active NRU Provider
- Processing Capacities from 5 to 500+ MMSCFD
- 99% Hydrocarbon Recovery
- Patent-pending Ultra-low Methane Technology
Why Choose niTech®?
- Expert NRU engineering with decades of operational experience.
- Proven designs that maximize efficiency and performance.
- Tailored solutions for even the most complex natural gas separation challenges.
Nitrogen rejection has been a cornerstone of BCCK’s business since the late 1980s. Recognizing the need for an efficient and cost-effective nitrogen rejection process for natural gas streams, founder Clark Butts developed and patented the NiTech® process. Today, BCCK’s NiTech NRU technology serves natural gas streams ranging from 5 MMSCFD to over 500 MMSCFD, allowing operators to recover reserves that were previously uneconomical due to nitrogen, CO2, helium, oxygen, or other contaminants. The NiTech process is designed with a focus on minimizing methane emissions, providing environmentally conscious solutions for natural gas processing facilities. To date, BCCK has had 46 successful NRU installations.
The NiTech NRU offers an efficient design with reduced horsepower requirements, high methane recovery, and a lower-cost, more reliable system. Whether using a single or dual tower configuration, NiTech has become the go-to solution for nitrogen rejection in both high and low N2 inlet gas streams.
BCCK has also introduced NiTech® ULM, a patent-pending enhancement designed to achieve ultra-low methane vent levels, setting a new standard in emissions control. This innovative solution not only cuts methane losses but also helps operators comply with Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations while reducing environmental impact.
>> Learn more about our Nitrogen Rejection experience.
NiTech® Single Tower
- Robust design enabling processing of higher inlet N2 streams
- Ideal for landfill applications
NiTech® Dual Tower
- Utilizes BCCK’s single tower design with the addition of an LP processing section
- Targeted for lower N2 inlet gas streams.
- Yields 10-15% lower required HP than the most efficient single tower processes
- Higher CO2 tolerance than a single tower NRU
- Proven design that has become the industry standard for post NGL facility N2 removal
NiTech® ULM (Ultra Low Methane Enhancement)
- Patent-pending design utilizes BCCK’s proven NiTech NRU with a small compressed reflux system
- Engineered to provide an ultra-clean vent stream with reduced methane content below 1500 ppm, resulting in minimal methane losses to the environment
- Includes minimal equipment in addition to the NiTech NRU
- Available for new facilities or retrofitted to existing NiTech units.
>>LEARN MORE: Understanding NiTech® NRU Styles and Applications
Why BCCK LEADS NITROGEN REJECTION TECHNOLOGY
With BCCK, there are No Real Unknowns.
The separation of nitrogen and methane can be extremely difficult compared to the typical cryogenic NRU distillation of natural gas due to small differences in volatility, low surface tension, and close boiling points. Combine this with full heat integration, deep cryogenic temperatures and two-phase flow throughout the process, and you have a minefield of issues that have caused even experienced engineers to fail.
BCCK has proven that we have the experience and know-how to convert these challenging process designs into operational nitrogen rejection units that meet and often exceed our clients’ performance requirements. Our integrated team supports every phase of the project, combining engineering, fabrication, construction, commissioning and startup support to deliver complete nitrogen rejection solutions.
This empirical knowledge is invaluable and can only come from the lessons learned during actual NRU startup and operation, not from process simulations alone. By bringing engineering, fabrication, and construction together under one roof, BCCK goes Beyond the NRU to maintain greater control over quality, execution and project performance while reducing risk throughout the project lifecycle. Our team brings unmatched process engineering expertise and operational experience to every NRU project, ensuring successful execution from concept through commissioning. Failure is not, and has never been, an option.
NiTech® Benefits
- Low capital cost – only minimal equipment
- Flexible design allows a wide range of inlet conditions
- Low power consumption
- Simple, non-complex process design requiring minimal operator attention
- Small footprint due to minimal equipment
- Compression horsepower much lower than non-cryogenic NRU options
- Nitrogen contents from 3 percent to 90 percent reduced to as low as 1 percent
- High efficiency – hydrocarbon recovery typically in excess of 99 percent
- Environmentally friendly – emits no non-methane VOCs
- Quick restart
- Cold restart from short shutdowns, online and on-spec just restart associated compression
- Integrated NGL extraction with high NGL extraction efficiencies (up to 93 percent ethane recovery possible)
- Integrated helium extraction with high helium recovery
- Applicable to streams of 5 MMSCFD to more than 500 MMSCFD
nitrogen rejection insights
The Power of cryogenic distillation – featured in hydrocarbon engineering, july 2026
BCCK’s Naomi Baker explores why cryogenic distillation has become a preferred solution for large-scale nitrogen rejection and how it helps operators maximize methane recovery while meeting today’s increasingly stringent gas specifications.
BCCK HISTORY
BCCK’s first NiTech® Nitrogen Rejection Unit installation was built in 1994 in Mist, Oregon.
BCCK began with traditional natural gas processing and treating systems, oilfield production installations and petrochemical facilities in the Southwest United States. Over time, as engineering projects became more complex and more varied, our client base expanded geographically and our technology expanded to profitably treat and process non-traditional gas, as well.
In the late 1980s, Clark Butts, BCCK’s founder, recognized the demand for an efficient, economical nitrogen rejection process for natural gas streams with volumes less than 30 MMSCFD. Butts developed and patented the NiTech® process, which BCCK has implemented throughout the United States. Since its introduction to the gas industry, the NiTech® nitrogen rejection process also has been used to process coal mine methane, thus reducing the emission of greenhouse gases.
Today, BCCK serves the natural gas industry with high-quality and unique gas processing solutions. With 46 successful installations to date, BCCK has been the most active cryogenic NRU provider for 20 years.
FEATURED NRU IMAGES
FEATURED NITROGEN REJECTION VIDEOS
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQ)
What is a nitrogen rejection unit (NRU)?
A nitrogen rejection unit removes excess nitrogen from natural gas so the gas meets pipeline specifications and maintains its commercial value. BCCK’s patented NiTech® technology uses a cryogenic process to separate nitrogen from methane while maximizing hydrocarbon recovery and minimizing methane emissions.
When is a nitrogen rejection unit needed?
An NRU is typically required when natural gas contains nitrogen concentrations that exceed pipeline specifications or reduce the heating value of the gas. Removing nitrogen allows producers to deliver pipeline-quality natural gas while improving the economic value of the resource.
What makes BCCK’s NiTech® nitrogen rejection units different?
NiTech® combines patented technology with more than 20 years of operating experience and 46 successful installations. BCCK’s integrated engineering, fabrication, construction, commissioning, and startup capabilities help deliver reliable, high-performance nitrogen rejection solutions tailored to each project.
What processing capabilities can BCCK’s nitrogen rejection units handle?
BCCK’s NiTech® nitrogen rejection units are available for applications ranging from approximately 5 MMSCFD to more than 500 MMSCFD. Each system is engineered to meet the specific gas composition, capacity requirements, and performance goals of the project.
What industries use nitrogen rejection units?
Nitrogen rejection units are commonly used in natural gas processing, associated gas production, LNG application, and renewable natural gas (RNG) projects where nitrogen must be removed to meet product specifications and maximize methane recovery.
Does BCCK provide complete EPC services for nitrogen rejection projects?
Yes. BCCK provides integrated engineering, procurement, fabrication, construction, commissioning, and startup for nitrogen rejection unit projects. This turnkey approach helps streamline execution while maintaining quality, schedule, and performance throughout the project lifecycle.