US2008127673A1PendingUtilityA1

Lng Transportation Vessel and Method For Transporting Hydrocarbons

39
Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: Nov 5, 2004Filed: Oct 17, 2005Published: Jun 5, 2008
Est. expiryNov 5, 2024(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Ronald R. BowenBrandon StoneEric D. NelsonKevin N. Stanley
F17C 2221/033F17C 2270/011F25J 1/0025F17C 2201/0109F17C 2201/052F25J 1/0284F17C 2227/0353F17C 2223/0123F17C 2227/0157F17C 2203/0639F25J 1/0275F17C 2201/0128F17C 2225/0161F17C 2270/0121F17C 2201/0157F25J 1/005F17C 2270/0113F25J 1/0022F17C 2270/0136F25J 1/0294F17C 2227/0135F17C 2201/0123F25J 1/0244F25J 1/0277F17C 2265/05F17C 2225/035F25J 1/0204F25J 1/0278F17C 2270/0171F17C 2221/032F17C 5/04F17C 13/00F17C 5/00F17C 2270/0105F25J 1/0251
39
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Claims

Abstract

A vessel for transporting liquefied natural gas is provided. The vessel generally includes a gas transfer system for on-loading and off-loading natural gas to and from the vessel at essentially ambient temperature. The vessel further includes a gas processing facility for selectively providing liquefaction and regasification of the natural gas. The vessel also includes a containment structure for containing the liquefied natural gas during transport. The vessel may be a marine vessel or a barge vessel for transporting LNG over water, or a trailer vessel for transporting LNG overthe-road. A method for transporting LNG is also provided, that provides on-loading of natural gas onto a vessel, condensing the natural gas, storing the gas on the vessel in liquefied form, transporting the gas to an import terminal, vaporizing the gas, and off-loading the gas at the terminal.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . A method for transporting liquefied natural gas, comprising:
 on-loading natural gas in a substantially gaseous phase onto a vessel at a first location;   cooling the natural gas on the vessel so as to convert it substantially into liquefied natural gas;   storing the liquefied gas in an insulated container;   transporting the liquefied natural gas on the vessel from the first location to a second location;   heating the liquefied natural gas on the vessel so as to reconvert it back into a substantially gaseous phase; and   off-loading the natural gas from the vessel at the second location.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the steps of cooling the natural gas and heating the liquefied natural gas are each accomplished by using a gas processing facility. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the same gas processing facility is used for both cooling the natural gas and heating the liquefied natural gas. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the vessel is a marine vessel. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the vessel is a barge vessel. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the vessel is an over-the-road trailer vessel. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of cooling the natural gas is accomplished by using a gas processing facility which comprises:
 a first heat exchanger for cooling the natural gas by thermal contact between the natural gas and a heat exchanger fluid;   a compressor wherein the heat exchanger fluid is compressed and temporarily warmed after flowing through the first heat exchanger;   a second heat exchanger wherein the compressed heat exchanger fluid is cooled; and   an expander wherein the compressed heat exchanger fluid is further cooled, and decompressed before returning through the first heat exchanger.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of heating the natural gas is accomplished by using a gas processing facility which comprises:
 a first heat exchanger for warming the natural gas by thermal contact between the natural gas and a heat exchanger fluid;   a second heat exchanger wherein the heat exchanger fluid is warmed after flowing through the first heat exchanger; and   a heat exchanger fluid movement device.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the heat exchanger fluid movement device comprises:
 a compressor wherein the heat exchanger fluid is compressed and further warmed after flowing through the second heat exchanger and before returning through the first heat exchanger.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the fluid movement device comprises:
 a pump disposed in line between the first and second heat exchangers for pressurizing the liquefied heat exchanger fluid.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the second heat exchanger heats the heat exchanger fluid by providing thermal contact between the heat exchanger fluid and sea water at ambient ocean temperature. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the second heat exchanger heats the heat exchanger fluid by providing thermal contact between the heat exchanger fluid and air. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the heat exchanger fluid is heated by thermal contact with an intermediate fluid that itself is heated by a combustion source outside of the second heat exchanger. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the second heat exchanger heats the heat exchanger fluid by providing thermal contact between the heat exchanger fluid and a combustion source. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the heat exchanger fluid comprises a light hydrocarbon. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the heat exchanger fluid comprises a light hydrocarbon. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the steps of cooling the natural gas and heating the liquefied natural gas are each accomplished by using a single gas processing facility that:
 (a) cools the natural gas by providing:
 a first heat exchanger for cooling the natural gas by thermal contact between the natural gas and a heat exchanger fluid, the heat exchanger fluid acting as a refrigerant; 
 a compressor wherein the refrigerant is compressed and temporarily warmed after flowing through the first heat exchanger; 
 a second heat exchanger wherein the compressed refrigerant is cooled; and 
 an expander wherein the compressed refrigerant is further cooled, and decompressed before returning through the first heat exchanger; and 
   (b) heats the natural gas by providing:
 the first heat exchanger for warming the natural gas by thermal contact between the natural gas and the heat exchanger fluid; 
 the second heat exchanger wherein the heat exchanger fluid is warmed after flowing through the first heat exchanger; and 
 a fluid movement device. 
   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the fluid movement device comprises: the compressor, wherein the heat exchanger fluid is compressed and further warmed after flowing through the second heat exchanger and before returning through the first heat exchanger. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the fluid movement device comprises: a pump disposed in line between the first and second heat exchangers for pressurizing the liquefied heat exchanger fluid. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the heat exchanger fluid that cools the natural gas and the heat exchanger fluid that heats the natural gas are at least partially different. 
     
     
         21 . A method for transporting liquefied natural gas on a vessel, comprising:
 providing a gas transfer system for the vessel;   providing a gas processing facility on the vessel, the gas processing facility selectively cooling and heating the natural gas;   on-loading the natural gas onto the vessel through the gas transfer system, the natural gas being in essentially a gaseous phase; and   flowing the natural gas through the gas processing facility so as to cool the natural gas to a lower temperature where the natural gas is in a substantially liquefied phase; and   providing a containment structure on the vessel for containing the liquefied natural gas during transport.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising the step of:
 pumping the natural gas through the gas processing facility so as to heat the natural gas from a temperature where the natural gas is in its substantially liquefied phase, to a temperature where the natural gas is at least partially converted back to its gaseous phase; and   off-loading the natural gas from the vessel through the gas transfer system.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the vessel is a marine vessel. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the vessel is a barge vessel. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the vessel is an over-the-road trailer vessel. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the gas transfer system comprises:
 a connection for receiving a buoyed line, thereby placing the gas processing facility in fluid communication with a marine jumper line.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the gas transfer system comprises:
 a connection for receiving a line for placing the gas processing facility in fluid communication with a hose.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the containment structure is a plurality of pressure vessels for maintaining the liquefied natural gas under pressure. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein:
 the containment structure is one or more Moss sphere tanks.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the containment structure is a membrane tank. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the gas processing facility comprises:
 at least one heat exchanger through which the natural gas thermally contacts a heat exchanger fluid; and   at least one compressor for compressing the heat exchanger fluid.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the gas processing facility cools the natural gas by providing:
 a first heat exchanger for cooling the natural gas by thermal contact between the natural gas and a heat exchanger fluid;   a compressor wherein the heat exchanger fluid is compressed after flowing through the first heat exchanger;   a second heat exchanger wherein the compressed heat exchanger fluid is cooled; and   an expander wherein the compressed heat exchanger fluid is decompressed, and further cooled before returning through the first heat exchanger.   
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the gas processing facility heats the natural gas by providing:
 a first heat exchanger for warming the natural gas by thermal contact between the natural gas and a heat exchanger fluid;   a second heat exchanger wherein the heat exchanger fluid is warmed after flowing through the first heat exchanger; and   a fluid movement device.   
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the fluid movement device comprises:
 a compressor wherein the heat exchanger fluid is compressed and further warmed after flowing through the second heat exchanger and before returning through the first heat exchanger.   
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the fluid movement device comprises:
 a pump disposed in line between the first and second heat exchangers for pressurizing the liquefied heat exchanger fluid.   
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the second heat exchanger heats the heat exchanger fluid by providing thermal contact between the heat exchanger fluid and sea water at ambient ocean temperature. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the second heat exchanger heats the heat exchanger fluid by providing thermal contact between the heat exchanger fluid and air. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the second heat exchanger heats the heat exchanger fluid by providing thermal contact between the heat exchanger fluid and a combustion source. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the heat exchanger fluid is heated by thermal contact with an intermediate fluid that itself is heated by a combustion source outside of the second heat exchanger. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the gas processing facility:
 (a) cools the natural gas by providing:
 a first heat exchanger for cooling the natural gas by thermal contact between the natural gas and a heat exchanger fluid, the heat exchanger fluid acting as a refrigerant; 
 a compressor wherein the refrigerant is compressed and temporarily warmed after flowing through the first heat exchanger; 
 a second heat exchanger wherein the compressed refrigerant is cooled; and 
 an expander wherein the compressed refrigerant is further decompressed and cooled before returning through the first heat exchanger; and 
   (b) heats the natural gas by providing:
 the first heat exchanger for warming the natural gas by thermal contact between the natural gas and the heat exchanger fluid; 
 the second heat exchanger wherein the heat exchanger fluid is warmed after flowing through the first heat exchanger; and 
 the compressor wherein the heat exchanger fluid is compressed and further warmed after flowing through the second heat exchanger and before returning through the first heat exchanger. 
   
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the heat exchanger fluid that cools the natural gas and the heat exchanger fluid that heats the natural gas are at least partially different. 
     
     
         42 . A vessel for transporting liquefied natural gas, comprising:
 a gas transfer system for on-loading and off-loading natural gas to and from the vessel in its essentially gaseous phase;   a gas processing facility for selectively
 (i) cooling the natural gas from a temperature where the natural gas is in a gaseous phase, to a lower temperature where the natural gas is in a substantially liquefied phase; and 
 (ii) heating the natural gas from a temperature where the natural gas is in a substantially liquefied phase, to a temperature where the natural gas is converted back to its gaseous phase; 
   a power generator for providing power to the gas processing facility; and a containment structure for containing the liquefied natural gas during transport.   
     
     
         43 . The vessel of  claim 42 , wherein the vessel is a marine vessel. 
     
     
         44 . The vessel of  claim 42 , wherein the vessel is a barge vessel. 
     
     
         45 . The vessel of  claim 42 , wherein the vessel is an over-the-road trailer vessel. 
     
     
         46 . The vessel of  claim 42 , wherein the gas transfer system comprises:
 a buoyed line for placing the gas processing facility in fluid communication with a marine jumper line.   
     
     
         47 . The vessel of  claim 42 , wherein the gas transfer system comprises:
 a line for placing the gas processing facility in fluid communication with a hose.   
     
     
         48 . The vessel of  claim 42 , wherein the containment structure is a plurality of pressure vessels for maintaining the liquefied natural gas under pressure. 
     
     
         49 . The vessel of  claim 42 , wherein:
 the containment structure is one or more Moss sphere tanks.   
     
     
         50 . The vessel of  claim 42 , wherein the containment structure is a membrane tank. 
     
     
         51 . The vessel of  claim 42 , wherein the gas processing facility comprises:
 at least one heat exchanger through which the natural gas thermally contacts a heat exchanger fluid; and   a fluid movement device for moving the heat exchanger fluid.   
     
     
         52 . The vessel of  claim 42 , wherein the gas processing facility cools the natural gas by providing:
 a first heat exchanger for cooling the natural gas by thermal contact between the natural gas and a heat exchanger fluid;   a compressor wherein the heat exchanger fluid is compressed and temporarily warmed after flowing through the first heat exchanger;   a second heat exchanger wherein the compressed heat exchanger fluid is cooled; and   an expander wherein the compressed heat exchanger fluid is decompressed and further cooled before returning through the first heat exchanger.   
     
     
         53 . The vessel of  claim 42 , wherein the gas processing facility heats the natural gas by providing:
 a first heat exchanger for warming the natural gas by thermal contact between the natural gas and a heat exchanger fluid;   a second heat exchanger wherein the heat exchanger fluid is warmed after flowing through the first heat exchanger; and   a fluid movement device.   
     
     
         54 . The vessel of  claim 53 , wherein the fluid movement device comprises:
 a compressor wherein the heat exchanger fluid is compressed and further warmed after flowing through the second heat exchanger and before returning through the first heat exchanger   
     
     
         55 . The vessel of  claim 53 , wherein the fluid movement device comprises:
 a pump disposed in line between the first and second heat exchangers for pressurizing the liquefied heat exchanger fluid.   
     
     
         56 . The vessel of  claim 53 , wherein the second heat exchanger heats the heat exchanger fluid by providing thermal contact between the heat exchanger fluid and sea water at ambient ocean temperature. 
     
     
         57 . The vessel of  claim 53 , wherein the second heat exchanger heats the heat exchanger fluid by providing thermal contact between the heat exchanger fluid and a combustion source. 
     
     
         58 . The method of  claim 53 , wherein the heat exchanger fluid is heated by thermal contact with an intermediate fluid that itself is heated by a combustion source outside of the second heat exchanger. 
     
     
         59 . The vessel of  claim 42 , wherein the gas processing facility:
 (a) cools the natural gas by providing:
 a first heat exchanger for cooling the natural gas by thermal contact between the natural gas and a heat exchanger fluid, the heat exchanger fluid acting as a refrigerant; 
 a compressor wherein the refrigerant is compressed and temporarily warmed after flowing through the first heat exchanger; 
 a second heat exchanger wherein the compressed refrigerant is cooled; and 
 an expander wherein the compressed refrigerant is decompressed and further cooled before returning through the first heat exchanger; and 
   (b) heats the natural gas by providing:
 the first heat exchanger for warming the natural gas by thermal contact between the natural gas and the heat exchanger fluid; 
 the second heat exchanger wherein the heat exchanger fluid is warmed after flowing through the first heat exchanger; and 
 the compressor wherein the heat exchanger fluid is compressed and further warmed after flowing through the second heat exchanger and before returning through the first heat exchanger. 
   
     
     
         60 . The vessel of  claim 42 , wherein the power generator selectively:
 provides power to propel the vessel when the natural gas is stored in the containment structure; and   provides power to the gas processing facility when the natural gas is being cooled or heated.   
     
     
         61 . The vessel of  claim 60 , further comprising:
 an ancillary compressor for circulating and cooling the heat exchanger fluid while the vessel is transporting the LNG in order to recondense any natural gas that becomes vaporized during transport or maintain cold temperatures in the gas processing facility.   
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 59 , wherein the heat exchanger fluid that cools the natural gas and the heat exchanger fluid that heats the natural gas are at least partially different. 
     
     
         63 . A method for transporting liquefied natural gas on a marine vessel, comprising:
 providing a gas transfer system for the vessel, the gas transfer system receiving substantially raw fluids from an offshore natural gas production system;   providing a fluid processing system for separating produced gas from any other produced fluids;   on-loading the fluids produced from the natural gas production system;   providing a gas processing facility on the vessel for converting the produced gas into liquefied natural gas;   flowing the natural gas through the gas processing facility so as to cool the natural gas from its ambient temperature, to a lower temperature where the natural gas is in a substantially liquefied phase;   providing a containment structure on the vessel for containing the liquefied natural gas during transport; and   heating the liquefied natural gas on the vessel so as to reconvert it back into a substantially gaseous phase.   
     
     
         64 . The method of  claim 63 , further comprising the step of:
 providing a separate containment structure on the vessel for containing any produced liquid hydrocarbons during transport.   
     
     
         65 . The method of  claim 63 , wherein the gas is offloaded at an export location into a gas storage device. 
     
     
         66 . The method of  claim 65 , wherein the gas storage device is an underground salt dome gas storage cavern.

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