Classifications

• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E21—EARTH DRILLING; MINING
  • E21B—EARTH DRILLING, e.g. DEEP 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
  • E21B43/34—Arrangements for separating materials produced by the well
  • E21B43/36—Underwater separating arrangements
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01D—SEPARATION
  • B01D53/00—Separation of gases or vapours; Recovering vapours of volatile solvents from gases; Chemical or biological purification of waste gases, e.g. engine exhaust gases, smoke, fumes, flue gases, aerosols
  • B01D53/002—Separation of gases or vapours; Recovering vapours of volatile solvents from gases; Chemical or biological purification of waste gases, e.g. engine exhaust gases, smoke, fumes, flue gases, aerosols by condensation
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
  • B01D—SEPARATION
  • B01D53/00—Separation of gases or vapours; Recovering vapours of volatile solvents from gases; Chemical or biological purification of waste gases, e.g. engine exhaust gases, smoke, fumes, flue gases, aerosols
  • B01D53/26—Drying gases or vapours
  • B01D53/263—Drying gases or vapours by absorption
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING 
  • B63B35/00—Vessels or similar floating structures specially adapted for specific purposes and not otherwise provided for
  • B63B35/44—Floating buildings, stores, drilling platforms, or workshops, e.g. carrying water-oil separating devices
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E02—HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING; FOUNDATIONS; SOIL SHIFTING
  • E02F—DREDGING; SOIL-SHIFTING
  • E02F7/00—Equipment for conveying or separating excavated material
  • E02F7/005—Equipment for conveying or separating excavated material conveying material from the underwater bottom
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E21—EARTH DRILLING; MINING
  • E21B—EARTH DRILLING, e.g. DEEP DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
  • E21B41/00—Equipment or details not covered by groups E21B15/00 - E21B40/00
  • E21B41/0099—Equipment or details not covered by groups E21B15/00 - E21B40/00 specially adapted for drilling for or production of natural hydrate or clathrate gas reservoirs; Drilling through or monitoring of formations containing gas hydrates or clathrates
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E21—EARTH DRILLING; MINING
  • E21B—EARTH DRILLING, e.g. DEEP 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
  • E21B43/01—Methods or apparatus for obtaining oil, gas, water, soluble or meltable materials or a slurry of minerals from wells specially adapted for obtaining from underwater installations
  • E21B43/0122—Collecting oil or the like from a submerged leakage
• • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
  • E21—EARTH DRILLING; MINING
  • E21C—MINING OR QUARRYING
  • E21C50/00—Obtaining minerals from underwater, not otherwise provided for
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
  • Y02C—CAPTURE, STORAGE, SEQUESTRATION OR DISPOSAL OF GREENHOUSE GASES [GHG]
  • Y02C20/00—Capture or disposal of greenhouse gases
  • Y02C20/20—Capture or disposal of greenhouse gases of methane

Definitions

• the present invention is referring to a procedure and apparatus for collection of free methane gas from the sea bottom destined to catch and liquefy the released methane gas from metastabile of methane hydrate situated on the seas and oceans bottom.
• a multitude of hydrate formation zones were discovered on the seas and oceans bottom bed, from which was found a multitude of metastabile zone of methane hydrate without lithologocal cover. If only a small fraction of this free methane gas from the seas and oceans bottom would be collected, it could constitute a significant energy resource as a fuel.
• the matter that is resolved by the invention is the realization of a procedure and an apparatus, which will allow the free methane gas collection from the bottom of the sea.
• the procedure for collection of free methane gas from the bottom of the sea eliminate the above mentioned disadvantages, because it is constituted from a first operation in which the collection of free methane gas from the bottom of the sea takes place and it is directed upwards, to a mnning section of methane gas, together with the sea's water and forming a mixture of methane gas-sea water.
• the shifting of mixture is done under a form of a current tube up to a room in which is taking place the separation phase, in which the mixture overflows at a 1 evel i ferior t o the sea's level, where the pressure is smaller than the one of the sea's bottom, and where is taking place a distribution/gravitational dispersion of it on a big surface on which the running is done at a more reduced pressure, which allows the separation of methane gas from water.
• the humid methane gas is collected at the room's superior part and the sea water is running freely towards an inferior level, from where, in the following operation, is absorbed and evacuated back in the se for insuring the required level difference for the mixture's raising.
• the humid methane gas captured at the superior room's part, is absorbed towards an other room where is cooled to reduce the condensation of the last fraction of sea's water, operation after which are obtained sea water in liquid state which is collected and then evacuated and dry methane gas.
• the methane cooling is proceeding to the methane cooling at required temperature for its passing from gaseous state into liquid state.
• the procedure in an other version of realization, comprises a first operation in which the humid methane gas, brought to the sea's surface is cooled in a room by bringing it in contact with cooled methane gas and by mixing it with this. Due to the diminished temperature it is taking place the condensation of the last fraction of the sea's water vapors and is getting the dry methane gas.
• This operation is followed by the compression, in a first stage, up to a certain pressure and temperature, after which, to an other operation is cooled at sea water temperature.
• a second compression stage followed by a new cooling at sea temperature and by that the third stage of compression, i n a 1 ast operation the m ethane gas d ischarged after this last compression being sent to a room where, after lamination followed by an adiabatic expansion, is passing from a gaseous phase to a liquid phase.
• an other phase occurs, in which a part of compressed methane gas in first stage is taken to produce the absorption of liquid methane obtained according with the last operation.
• the apparatus for collection of free methane gas from the sea bottom is made from some guiding arms, set-up in crosswise position, on which are sitting an intermediary platform, destined to support some electrical reversible trolleys, used for radial and vertical direction displacement of a flexible or telescopic conduit and of some collectors for mixture, some double reversible trolleys with the help of which some water separators and a flexible conduit can be vertically and radial driven, and the flexible conduit is supported on its horizontal portion by some floating caissons, as well and of some double reversible electrical trolleys used to change the position of some lateral anchors.
• An inferior platform together with the intermediary platform, is destined to support the components of some technological lines, and a superior platform serves to alight or take off for the helicopter.
• Some sloping portion of guiding arms serve to support the three specified p latforms and its superior ends are rigidly connected and keep up a hoist to stretch out a central anchor.
• Under each guiding arm is seating a water separator connected at its inferior part through a telescopic conduit with the collector of mixture, and on intermediary and inferior platform are located corresponding to the water separators and connected to them through the flexible conduits, the mentioned technological lines.
• the guiding arms are provided with some horizontal portions supported by some floating caissons, at the ends of each arm being located some helix, so that at their putting in operation to do a couple which to rotate the entire ensemble around the vertical axis, materialized by the central anchor's rope. Rigidiness of the showed guiding arms is done with the help of some ropes stretched between the exterior ends of its horizontal portions.
• the inferior and medium platforms have an octagonal form and are provided with an opening.
• Each of the water separators are provided with a parallelepiped corps closed at the superior part with a cover and sitting on a submarine platform sustained by some floating caissons.
• an horizontal plate which defines an inferior and superior room, on plate being mounted an overflow sleeve, connected at its down end to a telescopic conduit and some guiding tubs through which vertical is running the ropes through which is achieving the supporting of telescopic conduit and the mixture collector.
• the turbo compressor is driven by a turbine with gases, which is driving and an electrical generator also.
• the reversible electrical trolleys are provided with some ropes supported and guided with the help of some guiding rolls and of one block of rolls.
• the apparatus in an other version of realization, is provided with an other technological line equipped with an other extractor of humidity, connected through a conduit to the water separator, which is placed on an inferior platform and connected through other conduit to some turbocompressor in steps.
• turbocompressors are situated oh the same axis of a turbine with gases, which is coupled with an air compressor, and with an electrical generator, between turbocompressors being inserted some coolers.
• the turbocompressor is connected through a conduit with a tank of liquid methane provided with a valve for lamination, between the water extractor and the liquid methane tank being placed an ejector in which the aspiration is realized through a conduit through which the methane gas is brought from turbocompressor.
• FIG. 4 lateral view of apparatus, according to the invention, making evident the connection between the collector and separator of methane gas and technological line afferent to a guiding arm;
• the procedure for collection of free methane gas from the sea bottom starts with a first operation in which is taking place the collection of saturated mixture formed from sea water and methane gas and of free methane gas emanated from metastabile deposits from the sea bottom, from a big surface and of them upwards direction to a narrow running section towards sea's surface.
• the water-methane gas mixture which is rising continuously from the sea bottom based on the vessels communication principle, is over flown, in the next phase in a room, at an inferior level of the sea's level, where the pressure is smaller than that from the sea bottom and where is taking place a gravitational distribution/spreading of it on a big surface on which the running is done on a thin stratum.
• the separation of methane gas and water is done, the humid methane gas is collected at the superior part of room and the sea water is running freely towards an inferior level from where, in the next operation, is sucked and evacuated back into the sea.
• the humid methane gas is then cooled, in an other room, by being in contact with a continuous cooled surface, for the condensation of the last fraction of the sea water vapors to be done, operation after which is obtaining the dry methane gas and sea water in liquid state, water which is collected and then evacuated.
• the procedure for free methane gas collection from the sea bottom in other version of realization, according to the invention, is showing the modality of liquefaction of methane gas by compression and lamination, followed by an adiabatic expansion.
• the humid methane gas brought to the sea surface is cooled in a room by bringing it in contact with a jet of cooled methane gas and by mixing this cooled gas inside of the mentioned room. Because of temperature reduction is taking place the condensation of last fraction of sea water vapors, operation after which is obtained dry methane gas and sea water, water which after collection is evacuated.
• the dry methane gas is sucked and compressed in a first step, up to a certain pressure and temperature, after which, in an other operation, is brought under the sea level where in contact with a surface at sea temperature is taking place its cooling.
• the methane gas discharged after the third compression is sent to a room where, after a lamination followed by an adiabatic expansion, is passing from gaseous phase into liquid phase.
• Compressed methane gas from first step is taken to produce the suction of liquid methane gas obtained according to the last operation.
• the sucked liquid methane is discharged into the mixture with gaseous methane from the first step of compression towards a room in which, as was shown before, is taking place the first cooling of methane gas coming from water separator.
• the apparatus for collection of free methane gas from the sea bottom in a first version of realization, is made from some guiding arms A positioned crosswise and provided with a horizontal portion 1 maintained at sea surface level with the help of some floating caissons 2 and which is cotinuing in the central zone with a slopping portion 3.
• the floating caissons 2 should be able to take over the statics and dynamics loads caused by the waves and winds so that the apparatus, according to the invention, to be maintained at sea surface level.
• the slopping 3 portions are rigidified between them at the superior portion and holding a hoist 4 for stretching a central anchor 5, a superior platform 6 destined to alight and take off of helicopters, an intermediary platform B and an inferior platform C which sustain the power actuated elements and other various equipment.
• the guiding arms A can be made from steel pipes, assembled in lattices, and the platforms 6, B and C are provided with steel grills and with balustrades for service personnel's protection.
• the platforms 6, B and C have to be rigidified towards the sloped portions 3 with the help of some beams, pillars, bars and diagonals, but these construction details do not make the object of this invention, being themselves known.
• the platforms B and C which have an octagonal shape and each are provided with an opening a and respectively b, will be placed at a sufficient height so that the sea's waves action to not impeded the worker's activity and the function of the equipment situated the platforms.
• this entire apparatus not to be displaced by the sea's currents of waves and winds, it is provided, besides the central anchor 5 with some lateral anchor 7, one for each arm A, connected by ropes.
• the apparatus can be rotated on an horizontal plane, around of central anchor 5, with the help of some propellers 8 and 9, driven by some not shown electromotrs, propellers placed diametrical opposite to the exterior ends of two arms A with the purpose of producing a couple of rotations of the entire ensemble.
• the first two trolleys D and E are provided with a rope 13 and respectively 14, which are running on some guiding rolls 15 and 16 and respectively 17 and 18 as well and on a roll
• the third electrical reversible and double trolley F id driving a rope 22 which is passing over some guiding rolls 23, 24 and connected with frame 25 placed on block J, from where an other rope 26 is rolling on a guiding roll 27, then on a guiding roll 28 placed on block J and on some guiding rolls 29 and 30, rope 26 which allows the radial displacement along the arms A, of block of rolls J of a water separator L.
• the trolleys G also double, is driving a rope 31 which is rolling on some rolls 32 and 33, on a roll 34 placed on block J and then on a guiding roll 35 being connected at the inferior end of lateral anchor 7 and permitting its vertical movement.
• An other rope 36 of the same trolley G is rolling on some guiding rolls 37 and 38 with the scope of radial displacement and anchoring to the bottom of the sea the lateral anchor
• the water separators L are placed under each of guiding arms A, being partially submersed in the seawater.
• Each of the water separators L are provided with a parallelipipedic body 39 closed tight and provided at its superior part with a cover 40, like a pyramid.
• the body 39 includes a superior room c in which are provided some horizontal strainers 41 and 42 of different sizes which are placed at certain distance one to the other, with the purpose of contributing to the partial separation of the methane gas of water vapors.
• the sea water-methane gas mixture which is running from sleeve 43 and is spreading on plate 44 surface, liberates the gas and the water is running through the two ends of plate
• the overflow sleeve 43 is connected at its inferior ends with conduit 21, which can be flexible or telescopic and of which the inferior end was connected to the collector K.
• conduit 21 which can be flexible or telescopic and of which the inferior end was connected to the collector K.
• This one has the form of a pyramid and is provided at its base perimeter with some sitting legs
• the water separators L are connected to some aerial flexible conduits 50 of which horizontal portions found under the arms A are sitting on some floating caissons 51.
• the ropes, 13 and 14, which are upholding the collector K, and conduit 21, are crossing the body 39 of separator L through some guiding tubes 52.
• each flexible conduit 50 is connected through a fixed conduit
• the extractor M is provided with a cooling serpentine 55, connected through valves 56 and 57 with technological line H, with a valve 58 at its superior part and with a discharge valve 59 at its lower part. From the valve 58 through conduit 60 and a valve 61 the extractor M is connected with a liquefactor of methane gas
• N equipped with an other cooling serpentine 62, provided at its ends with some valves 63 and 64 for entering and respectively exit.
• the humidity extractor M and the gas liquefactor N are located on the intermediary platform B.
• a discharge valve 65 which, through a conduit 66 a nd a v alve 67 m akes t he c onnection t o a s torage t ank O p rovided w ith a discharge valve 68, and sitting on an inferior platform C.
• the serpentine 55 of the extractor M is connected through a return conduit 69 to a compressor for nitrogen 70 driven by a gas turbine 71.
• the closing of this line through which the nitrogen is running is done through a discharge conduit 72 which makes the connection to a tank of liquid nitrogen P provided at its superior part with a valve 73 and a lamination valve f for adiabatic nitrogen expansion, and at the lower part with an other valve 74 from which through conduit 75 and entrance valve 63 is done the connection with gas liquefactor N.
• the exit valve 64 of the cooling serpentine 62 of liquefactor N can be connected, either with the entrance valve 56 of serpentine 55 of extractor M through a conduit 76, or with a return conduit 69 through a conduit 77 and a valve 78.
• An other connection, done with the scope of apparatus air purging, according to the invention, is that through which the conduit 60 between the valves 58 and 61 of extractor and respectively liquefactor N was c onnected w ith the discharge conduit 72 which connects the compressor 70 with entrance valve 73 and the lamination valve f of liquid nitrogen tank P, connection made through a conduit 79 and a purge valve 80.
• An other conduit 81 and a valve 82 make the connection from the superior part of liquid nitrogen tank P and the return conduit 69, on which is provided a connection 83 for filling with nitrogen gas.
• the required electric energy for supplying the electromotors and other electrical subensembles of apparatus, according to the invention, is furnished by some electrical generators 84 placed on each of the guiding arms A and driven by gas turbine 71.
• the apparatus for collection of free methane gas from the sea bottom in an other realization version, according to the invention, has as scope the liquefaction of methane gas by compression, goal achieved with the help of a technological line Q.
• the coming methane gas from water separator through conduit 53 enters through valve 54 in a humidity extractor R placed on platform C.
• the dry methane gas is sucked through a valve 85, a conduit 86 and then through a valve
• a turbocompressor S placed on the guiding arm A, from where, after a first compression, is sent through a valve 88 and conduit 89 to run through a cooler g placed in t he s ea w ater at a 1 evel close to its surface.
• the methane gas is sucked through conduit 90 and through a valve 91 by turbocompressor T situated on the same axis with turbocompressor S.
• turbocompressor T takes place the second step of methane gas compression and from where is discharged through a valve 92 and a conduit
• the turbocompressor S, T and U are driven by a gas turbine coupled with an air compressor Z and with an electrical generator 84, all these equipment being placed on the guiding arm A at the intersection between the horizontal portion 1 and the sloping portion
• the cooling and condensation of water vapors from the humidity extractor R is done by sucking through a valve 101 and conduit 102 with the help of an ejector m the liquid methane from the tank V and then introducing it through a conduit 102 in the humidity extractor R in a gaseous state and at a suitable temperature for cooling and condensing the water vapors arrived with the gaseous methane through conduit 53 and valve 54.
• the condensate evacuation is done through a conduit 104 and valve 105.
• the apparatus can be brought at the prospective place, where the methane collection will take place, by towing or propelling, or unensembled and then ensembled above the metastabile hydrate gas deposit of which extraction follows.
• the pumps 47 are put in operation to suck the water from the inferior room d of water separator M, water which is accumulated here after the mixture of sea water-methane gas overflows from sleeve 43 and for its continuos evacuation into the sea. In this way it is ensured and controlled a water level, inferior of the upper end of mentioned sleeve 43. This fact allows, in the first place, the ascendant flow of sea water-methane gas mixture, which is coming from metastabile zone e through collector K and conduit 21. This level difference facilitates also the water distribution on the entire surface of the horizontal plate 44 for taking place the gravitational separation, due to the difference of the density of methane gas and seawater.
• the humid methane gas collected at the superior part of room c is sucked by conduit 53, enter into the humidity extractor M, where, due to the serpentine 55 cooled with nitrogen, is taking place the water vapors condensation on this surface and then the water collection and its evacuation through a connection 86 and a valve 59.
• the dry methane gas goes out from the extractor M through valve 58 and conduit 60, penetrates through valve 61 and enters into the methane liquefactor N, in which is produced its cryogenic liquefaction, due to the contact with the cooling serpentine 62 through which is running nitrogen.
• the liquid methane accumulated at the inferior part of liquefactor N is running through valve 65 and 67, conduit 66 entering into the storage tank O, from where its evacuation is done through connection 87 and valve 68.
• the required nitrogen to the liquefactor N and the extractor M is introduced in apparatus, according to the invention, in gaseous state through connection 83, the return conduit 69 towards the compressor 70, from where is discharged through conduit 72, valve 73 and lamination valve f, where takes place the adiabatic expansion and then in the liquid nitrogen tank P. From here, the liquid nitrogen is running through the exit valve 74, conduit 75, entrance valve 63 the cooling serpentine 62 of the liquefactor N and getting warm, gets out in cooled gas state, through valve 64 .
• the nitrogen gas is running further through conduit 76, is crossing entrance valve 56 and enters in cooling serpentine 55 of the extractor M, where is being done the water vapors condensation from methane gas and penetrates through exit valve 57 in the return conduit 69 of compressor 70.
• connection 83 Will be then connected the connection 83 to the nitrogen gas tank and then, by putting in operation the compressor 70 it will be filled up the above described line, through the conduit 72, the conduit 79 until the presence of nitrogen it will be detected at the exit from valves 68 and 59 and then immediately proceeding to the closing of these, to ensure the tightness of the apparatus, according to the invention.

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

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ID=34386919

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• 2003
  • 2003-10-01 RO ROA200300704A patent/RO121819B1/ro unknown
  • 2003-11-14 US US10/712,142 patent/US20050072301A1/en not_active Abandoned
• 2004
  • 2004-09-08 EP EP04788510A patent/EP1774138A2/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2004-09-08 WO PCT/RO2004/000013 patent/WO2005031116A2/en not_active Application Discontinuation

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