Method and system for transporting a flow of fluid hydrocarbons containing water

Abstract

A method of transporting a flow of fluid hydrocarbons containing water through a treatment and transportation system including a pipeline, wherein the flow of fluid hydrocarbons is introduced into a reactor where it is mixed with particles of gas hydrates which are also introduced into the reactor. The effluent flow of hydrocarbons from the reactor is cooled in a heat exchanger to ensure that all water present therein is in the form of gas hydrates. The flow is then treated in a separator to be separated into a first flow and a second flow. The first flow has a content of gas hydrate and is recycled to the reactor to provide the particles of gas hydrates mentioned above. The second flow is conveyed to a pipeline to be transported to its destination.

What is claimed:  
     
         1 . A system for treatment and transportation of a flow of fluid hydrocarbons containing water, the system including the following elements which are connected to each other and are listed in a direction of flow: 
 a connection to a hydrocarbon source;    a first heat exchanger;    a reactor;    a second heat exchanger;    a separator; and    a pipeline,    said system further comprising a line which leads from the separator to the reactor and is provided with a pump adapted to recycle material from the separator back to the reactor.    
     
     
         2 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein an inside of the reactor is coated with a water-repellent material.  
     
     
         3 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a mixer located between the first heat exchanger and the reactor.  
     
     
         4 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising means for adding chemicals to the flow.  
     
     
         5 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising means, located between the separator and the pipeline, for mixing the flow from the separator with wet gas before the flow enters the pipeline.  
     
     
         6 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising another separator, located between the second heat exchanger and the separator, for recovering hydrocarbon gas from the flow.  
     
     
         7 . The system as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising means for adding cooled condensate under pressure to the line from the separator to the reactor.  
     
     
         8 . The system as claimed in  claim 2 , further comprising a mixer located between the first heat exchanger and the reactor.  
     
     
         9 . The system as claimed in  claim 2 , further comprising means for adding chemicals to the flow.  
     
     
         10 . The system as claimed in  claim 3 , further comprising means for adding chemicals to the flow.