The drive to improve efficiency and lower costs with new technology continues with ExxonMobil Corp. (NYSE: XOM) being among the latest to launch solutions.

The oil and gas giant’s cMIST technology removes water vapor from natural gas using an absorption system inside pipes during production. The dehydration technology was described as an alternative to the larger expensive dehydration towers that are typically used. The benefits, according to ExxonMobil, are less corrosion and equipment interference.

Key to the technology is a proprietary droplet generator that breaks up “conventional solvent into tiny droplets that become well dispersed in the gas flow, thereby increasing the surface area for the absorption of water from the gas,” the company explained in a Jan. 5 news release. An inline separator then brings the droplets together and moves the droplets to the outside wall of the pipe.

“The water-rich glycol is regenerated using a conventional system and is sent back to the droplet generator to be used again,” the company said.

Tom Schuessler, president of ExxonMobil Upstream Research Co., said the technology represents “a step-change in operational efficiency and a significant reduction in footprint.”

The Sulzer engineering and manufacturing firm landed the exclusive license for commercial application of the technology, which ExxonMobil said has been “extensively field tested.”