AU671992B2 - Compressing combustible gas flowing through a conduit - Google Patents
Compressing combustible gas flowing through a conduit Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- AU671992B2 AU671992B2 AU40406/93A AU4040693A AU671992B2 AU 671992 B2 AU671992 B2 AU 671992B2 AU 40406/93 A AU40406/93 A AU 40406/93A AU 4040693 A AU4040693 A AU 4040693A AU 671992 B2 AU671992 B2 AU 671992B2
- Authority
- AU
- Australia
- Prior art keywords
- conduit
- tubular
- inlet valve
- gas
- oxidant
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Ceased
Links
- 239000007789 gas Substances 0.000 claims description 43
- VNWKTOKETHGBQD-UHFFFAOYSA-N methane Chemical compound C VNWKTOKETHGBQD-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 40
- 239000007800 oxidant agent Substances 0.000 claims description 22
- 230000001590 oxidative effect Effects 0.000 claims description 22
- 239000003345 natural gas Substances 0.000 claims description 20
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 claims description 10
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 claims description 8
- 230000006835 compression Effects 0.000 description 7
- 238000007906 compression Methods 0.000 description 7
- 239000000203 mixture Substances 0.000 description 6
- 230000007423 decrease Effects 0.000 description 3
- QVGXLLKOCUKJST-UHFFFAOYSA-N atomic oxygen Chemical compound [O] QVGXLLKOCUKJST-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- 230000001186 cumulative effect Effects 0.000 description 2
- 239000000446 fuel Substances 0.000 description 2
- 239000001301 oxygen Substances 0.000 description 2
- 229910052760 oxygen Inorganic materials 0.000 description 2
- NLZUEZXRPGMBCV-UHFFFAOYSA-N Butylhydroxytoluene Chemical compound CC1=CC(C(C)(C)C)=C(O)C(C(C)(C)C)=C1 NLZUEZXRPGMBCV-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 102220579497 Macrophage scavenger receptor types I and II_F23C_mutation Human genes 0.000 description 1
- 238000005086 pumping Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000008016 vaporization Effects 0.000 description 1
- XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N water Substances O XLYOFNOQVPJJNP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F23—COMBUSTION APPARATUS; COMBUSTION PROCESSES
- F23C—METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR COMBUSTION USING FLUID FUEL OR SOLID FUEL SUSPENDED IN A CARRIER GAS OR AIR
- F23C15/00—Apparatus in which combustion takes place in pulses influenced by acoustic resonance in a gas mass
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
- E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
- E21B43/00—Methods or apparatus for obtaining oil, gas, water, soluble or meltable materials or a slurry of minerals from wells
- E21B43/12—Methods or apparatus for controlling the flow of the obtained fluid to or in wells
- E21B43/121—Lifting well fluids
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
- E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
- E21B36/00—Heating, cooling or insulating arrangements for boreholes or wells, e.g. for use in permafrost zones
- E21B36/02—Heating, cooling or insulating arrangements for boreholes or wells, e.g. for use in permafrost zones using burners
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F04—POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS
- F04F—PUMPING OF FLUID BY DIRECT CONTACT OF ANOTHER FLUID OR BY USING INERTIA OF FLUID TO BE PUMPED; SIPHONS
- F04F1/00—Pumps using positively or negatively pressurised fluid medium acting directly on the liquid to be pumped
- F04F1/06—Pumps using positively or negatively pressurised fluid medium acting directly on the liquid to be pumped the fluid medium acting on the surface of the liquid to be pumped
- F04F1/16—Pumps using positively or negatively pressurised fluid medium acting directly on the liquid to be pumped the fluid medium acting on the surface of the liquid to be pumped characterised by the fluid medium being suddenly pressurised, e.g. by explosion
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Geology (AREA)
- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Mining & Mineral Resources (AREA)
- Geochemistry & Mineralogy (AREA)
- Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
- Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
- General Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
- Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Feeding And Controlling Fuel (AREA)
- Incineration Of Waste (AREA)
- Percussion Or Vibration Massage (AREA)
- Pipeline Systems (AREA)
- Reverberation, Karaoke And Other Acoustics (AREA)
Description
OPI DATE 18/11/93 AOJP DATE 27/01/94 APPLN. ID 40406/93 I1II 1111 II l I III I l1 III PCT NUMBER PCT/EP93/00961 1111111111111 111 AU9340406 I NTERNA j IONAL APPLICATION PUBLISHED UNDER THE PATENT COOPERATION TRLA TY (PCT) (51) International Patent Classification 5 Internallonal Publication Number: WO 93/21477 F23C 11/04, F04F 1/16 E21B 36/00 Al (43) International Publication Date: 28 October 1993 (28.10..3) (21) International Application Number: (22) International Filing Date: PCT/EP93/00961 19 April 1993 (19.04.93) Priority data: 92201140.8 22 April 1992 (22.04.92) 1341 Countries for which the regional or internatio'lal application was. iled:
EP
GB et al.
(72) Inventors: COX, Egbert, Leonardus STEWART, Robert, Bruce Volmerlaan 6, NL-2288 GI) Rijswijk (NL).
(81) Designated States: AU, CA, NO, NZ, European patent (AT, BE, CH, DE, DK, ES, FR, GB, GR, IE, IT, LU, MC, NL, PT, SE).
Published With international search report.
671992 (71)Applicant (for CA only): SHELL CANADA LIMITED [CA CA]; 400 4th Avenue Calgary, Alberta T2P
(CA).
(71) Applicant (for all designated States except CA): SHELL IN- TERNATIONALE RESEARCH MAATSCHAPPIJ B V. [NLINLI; Carel van Bylandtlaan 30, NL-2596 HR The Hague (NL).
(54) Title: COMPRESSING COMBUSTIBLE GAS FLOWING THROUGH A CONDUIT (57) Abstract Method of compressing combustible gas flowing through a conduit provided with a non-return inlet valve (10) arranged at its inlet end and with an open-ended tubular (13) arranged in the conduit comprising allowing combustible gas to enter into the conduit supplying oxidant to the combustible gas in the tubular the amount of oxidant being equal to the amount of oxidant required to combust at least part of the combustible gas in the tubular allowing the mixture of combustible gas and oxidant to ignite in 'he tubular (13), which ignition yields a high pressure wave front closing the nonreturn inlet valve (10) and pushing gas out of the tubular (13) and entraining gas flowing through the annular space (17) and a low pressure wave front; and allowing the non-return inlet valve (10) to open on arrival of the low pressure wave front, followed by steps through WOo 93/21477 I'lJ7I/ P93/00961 -1- COMPRESSING COMBUSTIBLE GAS FLOWING THROUGH A CONDUIT The present invention relates to compressing combustible gas flowing through a conduit. An example of such combustible gas is natural gas.
A suitable application of the present invention is downhole compression of natural gas, this is done to enhance the production from an underground natural gas reservoir. Natural gas is produced from an underground reservoir containing natural gas through a tubing arranged in a well drilled to the reservoir. During production, the cumulative amount of natural gas produced increases and consequently the reservoir pressure will decrease. As a result of the decrease in reservoir pressure the production rate decreases and, in order to maintain the production rate at an economically acceptable level the gas has to be compressed and suitably gas is compressed downhole. This downhole gas compression will result in an increased economic cumulative production.
An alternative application of the present invention is compression of natural gas flowing through a pipeline to increase the rate of natural gas transported through the pipeline.
USA patent specification No. 2 899 287 discloses a method of compressing an oxidant-containing gas flowing through a conduit provided with a tubular arranged coaxially in the conduit which tubular has an inlet end and an outlet end and is provided with a non-return inlet valve at its inlet end. The known method comprises the steps of supplying fuel into the tubular; allowing oxidant to enter into the tubular through the non-return inlet valve; allowing the mixture of fuel and oxidant to ignite, which ignition yields a high pressure wave front closing the non-return
I
L
2 inlet valve and pushing gas out of the outlet end of the tubular and a low pressure wave front; and allowing the non-return inlet valve to open on arrival of the low pressure wave front, followed by steps through In the known method the pressure increase for the compression stage is very small, the pressure at the outlet end of the conduit is about 2 or 3 above the pressure at the inlet end. For pumping natural gas such a pressure increase for a compression stage is unacceptably small. Therefore it is an object of the present invention to provide a method of compressing a combustible gas which will yield a much larger pressure increase per 1o compression stage.
To this end the method according to the invention, of compressing gas flowing through a conduit which contains a non-return inlet valve arranged as its inlet end and a tubular such that an annular passage is defined between the conduit and tubular, comprises the steps of: allowing gas to enter into the conduit through the non-return inlet valve; creating a combustible mixture in the tubular; allowing the mixture to ignite in the tubular, which ignition yields a high pressure wave front closing the non-return inlet valve and pushing gas out of the tubular and a low pressure wave front; and 20 allowing the non-return inlet valve to open on arrival of the low pressure wave front, followed by steps through wherein gas flowing through the conduit is a combustible natural gas, that the conduit is located at a downhole location in a natural gas production well, that the tubular is open-ended and that a combustible mixture is created in the tubular by supplying such an amount of oxidant that at least part of the combustible natural gas is combusted in the tubular.
Applicant has found that to obtain a large pressure increase it is required to let the combustible gas flow intermittently through the conduit so that the high pressure wave front is fully utilised to push the gas out of the tubular allowing to entrain the combustible gas passing through the annular space.
The invention further relates to an apparatus for carrying out the method of compressing combustible gas which apparatus comprises conduit, a non-return inlet valve arranged at the inlet end of the conduit, a tubular arranged coaxially in the conduit downstream of the non-return inlet valve such that an annular passage is defined between the tubular and the conduit, a localised ignition source arranged in the tubular, wherein the conduit is locatable at a downhole location in a natural gas production well, that the tubular is open-ended and equipped with an oxidant supply through which such an amount of oxidant can be supplied that at least part of the natural gas is combusted in the tubular.
The invention will now be described by way of example in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawing showing schematically a cross-sectional view of BAi k I- [N:\libaal00519:BXJ 3 the apparatus for carrying out the method of compressing combustible gas according to the invention.
The apparatus 1 for compressing combustible gas comprises a conduit 3 having an inlet end 5 and an outlet end 8, which conduit 3 is provided with a non-return inlet valve s 10 arranged at the inlet end 5 of the conduit 3.
In the conduit 3 is arranged coaxially an open-ended tubular 13 downstream of the non-return inlet valve 10. The open-ended tubular 13 is fixed in the conduit 3 by means of struts 15. The cross-sectional area of the open-ended tubular 13 is smaller than the cross-sectional area of the conduit 3 so that an annular passage 17 is defined between the outer wall of the open-ended tubular 13 and the inner wall of the conduit 3.
The apparatus 1 furthermore comprises an oxidant supply 18 of which the outlet opening 19 debouches into the open-ended tubular 13, and a localised ignition source arranged in the open-ended tubular 13 downstream of the outlet opening 19 of the oxidant supply 18. The localised ignition source 20 is connected to a supply of electric power (not shown) for allowing the source 20 to glow.
The apparatus 1 is arranged in a pipe for transporting combustible gas, for example the apparatus 1 is arranged in a tubing (not e o *t IN: libaa1]005 19:BXJ liaa0019BX WO 93/21477 PCT/EP93/00961 -4 shown) arranged in a well through which natural gas can rise from the bottom of the well to surface.
During normal operation natural gas flows through the tubing and enters the apparatus 1 through the non-return inlet valve arranged at the inlet end 5 of the conduit 3. The gas flows througn the annular space 17 and through the open-ended tubular 13. Oxidant is supplied to the combustible gas in the open-ended tubular 13, wherein the amount of oxidant is sufficient to combust at least part of the combustible gas in the open-ended tubular 13. Suitably the amount of oxidant equals the amount of oxidant required to combust the combustible gas in the open-ended tubular 13.
Electric power is supplied to the localized ignition source and the mixture of combustible gas and oxidant is allowed to ignite in the open-ended tubular 13. This ignition yields a high pressure wave front closing the non-return inlet valve 10 and pushing gas out of the open-ended tubular 13 and a low pressure wave front. The gas flowing out of the open-ended tubular 13 entrains gas flowing through the annular space 17.
The amount of gas combusted in the open-ended tubular 13 is smaller than the total amount of combustible gas flowing through the conduit 3.
Upon arrival of the low pressure wave front at the non-return inlet valve 10, the non-return inlet valve 10 opens allowing natural gas to enter into the apparatus 1, and the above described sequence of steps starts again to compress the natural gas.
When the localized ignition source 20 is sufficiently heated, the localized ignition source acts as a hot spot so that supply of electric power can be interrupted.
The oxidant is a gas containing free oxygen, an example of suitable oxidant is air, a further example is air enriched with oxygen. The oxidant can furthermore contain water, which upon vaporizing in the open-ended tubular 13 will furthermore increase the pressure.
The non-return inlet valve 10 can be provided with a control device (not shown) allowing opening of the non-return inlet valve at a pre-determined pressure difference across the valve. An WO 93/21477 P CT/EP93/00961 example of the control device is a spring, another example is a magnetic latch.
It will be appreciated that more than one apparatus according to the present invention can be arranged in series, each following apparatus compressing the gas compressed by the previous one. If required, the compressed gas can be cooled between two successive compression stages.
The conduit 3 has a constant inner diameter; in an alternative embodiment of the invention, the conduit comprises in the direction of flow a narrowing section, a section having a constant diameter (in which section the open-ended tubular is arranged) and a widening section.
Claims (3)
- 2. An apparatus for carrying out the method of compressing gas according to claim 1, comprising a conduit, a non-return inlet valve arranged at the inlet end of the conduit, a tubular arranged coaxially in the conduit downstream of the non-return inlet valve such that an annular passage is defined between the tubular and the conduit, a localised ignition source arranged in the tubular, wherein the conduit is locatable at a downhole location in a natural gas production well, that the tubular is open-ended and equipped with an oxidant supply through which such an amount of oxidant can be supplied that at least part of the natural gas is combusted in the tubular.
- 3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the non-return inlet valve is provided with a control device allowing opening the inlet valve at a pre-determined pressure difference.
- 4. The apparatus according to claim 2 or claim 3, wherein the localised ignition source is formed by a glow plug. An apparatus for carrying out the method of compressing gas, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing. Dated 7 June, 1996 Shell Internationale Research Maatschappij B.V. Patent Attorneys for the Applicant/Nominated Person SPRUSON FERGUSON .1 [N:\libaai]()0519BXJ
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| EP92201140 | 1992-04-22 | ||
| EP92201140 | 1992-04-22 | ||
| PCT/EP1993/000961 WO1993021477A1 (en) | 1992-04-22 | 1993-04-19 | Compressing combustible gas flowing through a conduit |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| AU4040693A AU4040693A (en) | 1993-11-18 |
| AU671992B2 true AU671992B2 (en) | 1996-09-19 |
Family
ID=8210571
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| AU40406/93A Ceased AU671992B2 (en) | 1992-04-22 | 1993-04-19 | Compressing combustible gas flowing through a conduit |
Country Status (9)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| EP (1) | EP0636228B1 (en) |
| AU (1) | AU671992B2 (en) |
| CA (1) | CA2133989C (en) |
| DE (1) | DE69315829T2 (en) |
| DK (1) | DK0636228T3 (en) |
| MY (1) | MY109218A (en) |
| NO (1) | NO304324B1 (en) |
| NZ (1) | NZ251978A (en) |
| WO (1) | WO1993021477A1 (en) |
Families Citing this family (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US5391057A (en) * | 1992-04-22 | 1995-02-21 | Shell Oil Company | Compressing gas flowing through a conduit |
| AR023360A1 (en) * | 1998-12-30 | 2002-09-04 | Shell Int Research | PULSE COMBUSTION APPARATUS, A METHOD FOR IMPROVING THE FLUID FLOW IN A NATURAL GAS PRODUCTION WELL AND A METHOD FOR HEATING A SUB-GROUND FORMATION WITH SUCH DEVICE |
Citations (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US2860484A (en) * | 1956-06-04 | 1958-11-18 | Schmidt Paul | Apparatus for causing intermittent combustion of a fuel in a chamber as a means of producing useful energy |
| AU4040793A (en) * | 1992-04-22 | 1993-11-18 | Shell Internationale Research Maatschappij B.V. | Compressing gas flowing through a conduit |
Family Cites Families (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US2899287A (en) * | 1959-08-11 | Gas producer with | ||
| US2636445A (en) * | 1946-12-27 | 1953-04-28 | Fred S Tutton | Production method and apparatus |
| FR1011313A (en) * | 1949-01-15 | 1952-06-23 | Brev Tamassy Soc D Expl Des | Device for causing water to move |
-
1993
- 1993-04-19 NZ NZ251978A patent/NZ251978A/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 1993-04-19 EP EP93911487A patent/EP0636228B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
- 1993-04-19 AU AU40406/93A patent/AU671992B2/en not_active Ceased
- 1993-04-19 DK DK93911487.2T patent/DK0636228T3/en active
- 1993-04-19 DE DE69315829T patent/DE69315829T2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 1993-04-19 CA CA002133989A patent/CA2133989C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 1993-04-19 WO PCT/EP1993/000961 patent/WO1993021477A1/en active IP Right Grant
- 1993-04-20 MY MYPI93000712A patent/MY109218A/en unknown
-
1994
- 1994-10-20 NO NO943982A patent/NO304324B1/en unknown
Patent Citations (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US2860484A (en) * | 1956-06-04 | 1958-11-18 | Schmidt Paul | Apparatus for causing intermittent combustion of a fuel in a chamber as a means of producing useful energy |
| AU4040793A (en) * | 1992-04-22 | 1993-11-18 | Shell Internationale Research Maatschappij B.V. | Compressing gas flowing through a conduit |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| DE69315829T2 (en) | 1998-04-09 |
| EP0636228A1 (en) | 1995-02-01 |
| CA2133989A1 (en) | 1993-10-28 |
| CA2133989C (en) | 2004-08-10 |
| NO304324B1 (en) | 1998-11-30 |
| NO943982D0 (en) | 1994-10-20 |
| DE69315829D1 (en) | 1998-01-29 |
| DK0636228T3 (en) | 1998-03-16 |
| WO1993021477A1 (en) | 1993-10-28 |
| AU4040693A (en) | 1993-11-18 |
| NO943982L (en) | 1994-10-20 |
| MY109218A (en) | 1996-12-31 |
| NZ251978A (en) | 1996-06-25 |
| EP0636228B1 (en) | 1997-12-17 |
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