WO2007064209A1 - Hydrocarbon liquefaction system and method - Google Patents

Hydrocarbon liquefaction system and method Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2007064209A1
WO2007064209A1 PCT/NL2006/050302 NL2006050302W WO2007064209A1 WO 2007064209 A1 WO2007064209 A1 WO 2007064209A1 NL 2006050302 W NL2006050302 W NL 2006050302W WO 2007064209 A1 WO2007064209 A1 WO 2007064209A1
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
gas
liquefaction
offshore
pipeline
plant
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/NL2006/050302
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Jack Pollack
Hein Wille
Original Assignee
Single Buoy Moorings Inc.
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Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Single Buoy Moorings Inc. filed Critical Single Buoy Moorings Inc.
Publication of WO2007064209A1 publication Critical patent/WO2007064209A1/en

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Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
    • F25J1/00—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures
    • F25J1/003—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures characterised by the kind of cold generation within the liquefaction unit for compensating heat leaks and liquid production
    • F25J1/0032—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures characterised by the kind of cold generation within the liquefaction unit for compensating heat leaks and liquid production using the feed stream itself or separated fractions from it, i.e. "internal refrigeration"
    • F25J1/0035—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures characterised by the kind of cold generation within the liquefaction unit for compensating heat leaks and liquid production using the feed stream itself or separated fractions from it, i.e. "internal refrigeration" by gas expansion with extraction of work
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
    • B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING 
    • B63B27/00—Arrangement of ship-based loading or unloading equipment for cargo or passengers
    • B63B27/24—Arrangement of ship-based loading or unloading equipment for cargo or passengers of pipe-lines
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C7/00—Methods or apparatus for discharging liquefied, solidified, or compressed gases from pressure vessels, not covered by another subclass
    • F17C7/02—Discharging liquefied gases
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
    • F25J1/00—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures
    • F25J1/0002—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures characterised by the fluid to be liquefied
    • F25J1/0022—Hydrocarbons, e.g. natural gas
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
    • F25J1/00—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures
    • F25J1/006—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures characterised by the refrigerant fluid used
    • F25J1/007—Primary atmospheric gases, mixtures thereof
    • F25J1/0072—Nitrogen
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
    • F25J1/00—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures
    • F25J1/02—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures requiring the use of refrigeration, e.g. of helium or hydrogen ; Details and kind of the refrigeration system used; Integration with other units or processes; Controlling aspects of the process
    • F25J1/0203—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures requiring the use of refrigeration, e.g. of helium or hydrogen ; Details and kind of the refrigeration system used; Integration with other units or processes; Controlling aspects of the process using a single-component refrigerant [SCR] fluid in a closed vapor compression cycle
    • F25J1/0204—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures requiring the use of refrigeration, e.g. of helium or hydrogen ; Details and kind of the refrigeration system used; Integration with other units or processes; Controlling aspects of the process using a single-component refrigerant [SCR] fluid in a closed vapor compression cycle as a single flow SCR cycle
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
    • F25J1/00—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures
    • F25J1/02—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures requiring the use of refrigeration, e.g. of helium or hydrogen ; Details and kind of the refrigeration system used; Integration with other units or processes; Controlling aspects of the process
    • F25J1/0243—Start-up or control of the process; Details of the apparatus used; Details of the refrigerant compression system used
    • F25J1/0257—Construction and layout of liquefaction equipments, e.g. valves, machines
    • F25J1/0275—Construction and layout of liquefaction equipments, e.g. valves, machines adapted for special use of the liquefaction unit, e.g. portable or transportable devices
    • F25J1/0277—Offshore use, e.g. during shipping
    • F25J1/0278—Unit being stationary, e.g. on floating barge or fixed platform
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
    • F25J1/00—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures
    • F25J1/02—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures requiring the use of refrigeration, e.g. of helium or hydrogen ; Details and kind of the refrigeration system used; Integration with other units or processes; Controlling aspects of the process
    • F25J1/0243—Start-up or control of the process; Details of the apparatus used; Details of the refrigerant compression system used
    • F25J1/0279—Compression of refrigerant or internal recycle fluid, e.g. kind of compressor, accumulator, suction drum etc.
    • F25J1/0281—Compression of refrigerant or internal recycle fluid, e.g. kind of compressor, accumulator, suction drum etc. characterised by the type of prime driver, e.g. hot gas expander
    • F25J1/0284—Electrical motor as the prime mechanical driver
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2201/00—Vessel construction, in particular geometry, arrangement or size
    • F17C2201/05—Size
    • F17C2201/052—Size large (>1000 m3)
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2205/00—Vessel construction, in particular mounting arrangements, attachments or identifications means
    • F17C2205/03—Fluid connections, filters, valves, closure means or other attachments
    • F17C2205/0302—Fittings, valves, filters, or components in connection with the gas storage device
    • F17C2205/0352—Pipes
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2221/00—Handled fluid, in particular type of fluid
    • F17C2221/03—Mixtures
    • F17C2221/032—Hydrocarbons
    • F17C2221/033—Methane, e.g. natural gas, CNG, LNG, GNL, GNC, PLNG
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2223/00—Handled fluid before transfer, i.e. state of fluid when stored in the vessel or before transfer from the vessel
    • F17C2223/01—Handled fluid before transfer, i.e. state of fluid when stored in the vessel or before transfer from the vessel characterised by the phase
    • F17C2223/0146—Two-phase
    • F17C2223/0153—Liquefied gas, e.g. LPG, GPL
    • F17C2223/0161—Liquefied gas, e.g. LPG, GPL cryogenic, e.g. LNG, GNL, PLNG
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2223/00—Handled fluid before transfer, i.e. state of fluid when stored in the vessel or before transfer from the vessel
    • F17C2223/03—Handled fluid before transfer, i.e. state of fluid when stored in the vessel or before transfer from the vessel characterised by the pressure level
    • F17C2223/033—Small pressure, e.g. for liquefied gas
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2265/00—Effects achieved by gas storage or gas handling
    • F17C2265/06—Fluid distribution
    • F17C2265/068—Distribution pipeline networks
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2265/00—Effects achieved by gas storage or gas handling
    • F17C2265/07—Generating electrical power as side effect
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2270/00—Applications
    • F17C2270/01—Applications for fluid transport or storage
    • F17C2270/0102—Applications for fluid transport or storage on or in the water
    • F17C2270/0105—Ships
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2270/00—Applications
    • F17C2270/01—Applications for fluid transport or storage
    • F17C2270/0102—Applications for fluid transport or storage on or in the water
    • F17C2270/0118—Offshore
    • F17C2270/0121—Platforms
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2270/00—Applications
    • F17C2270/01—Applications for fluid transport or storage
    • F17C2270/0102—Applications for fluid transport or storage on or in the water
    • F17C2270/0118—Offshore
    • F17C2270/0123—Terminals
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F17—STORING OR DISTRIBUTING GASES OR LIQUIDS
    • F17C—VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES
    • F17C2270/00—Applications
    • F17C2270/01—Applications for fluid transport or storage
    • F17C2270/0134—Applications for fluid transport or storage placed above the ground
    • F17C2270/0136—Terminals
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
    • F25J2230/00—Processes or apparatus involving steps for increasing the pressure of gaseous process streams
    • F25J2230/22—Compressor driver arrangement, e.g. power supply by motor, gas or steam turbine
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
    • F25J2290/00—Other details not covered by groups F25J2200/00 - F25J2280/00
    • F25J2290/60—Details about pipelines, i.e. network, for feed or product distribution

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a hydrocarbon liquefaction system and to a method of liquefying hydrocarbon gas.
  • pre-treatment plant is mentioned in US6250244 in the name of BHP, wherein pre-treatment plants are discussed that can be provided on an offshore rig, on a separate unit, on a platform or on a gravity base.
  • Offshore liquefaction of natural gas is a process that requires a lot of energy.
  • To provide a power supply unit on an offshore installation for powering the processes of gas refinery to provide clean gas and full scale liquefaction of the clean gas into LNG is expensive and needs a large foot print at the liquefaction barge.
  • the transport of untreated "raw" gas via a sub sea pipeline to the offshore liquefaction plant requires a dedicated pipeline made of relatively expensive material (stainless steel) in order to resist corrosion by the untreated gas, as the latter is very corrosive. It is also known to produce LNG on shore. For safety reasons the loading of an LNG carrier must take place at a certain minimal distance from the onshore liquefaction plant.
  • a cryogenic pipeline may cost around 2.5 million dollars per km, compared to the costs of a regular gas pipeline being around 5OK dollars per km.
  • a cryogenic sub-sea pipeline often dredging operations are required.
  • these sub-sea cryogenic pipelines have an additional complexity in being difficult to keep at the right temperature, especially when no LNG carrier is connected to the loading station.
  • a hydrocarbon transport system comprises a floating offshore cryogenic hydrocarbon export system with a liquefaction unit and an onshore gas treatment plant connected via a first pipeline to a near shore or onshore gas and/ or oil field, for pretreatment of the natural gas supplied to the plant via said first pipeline, a second pipeline connected with one end to the onshore plant and with its other end to the liquefaction unit, the second pipeline being adapted to operate above cryogenic temperatures for supplying low or high pressurized pretreated gas from the plant to the liquefaction unit for the liquefaction of the pretreated gas supplied via the second pipeline.
  • hydrocarbon system of the present invention which in particular provides an improved LNG export system
  • a safer and more economical way of producing and exporting liquefied natural gas from an onshore plant is possible.
  • the LNG production and LNG loading processes are far away from shore which is much safer than an onshore or near shore situation.
  • the combination of an offshore installation with (remove 'a') liquefaction capacities connected to a shore based plant for first treatment of raw gas, provides for an economic liquefaction process.
  • the first treatment of the raw gas takes place onshore, where after treated or clean gas can be sent through a long and relative cheap, standard sub-sea gas pipe (without the need for expensive cryogenic resistant constructions or materials, and which can be made of ordinary steel instead of high grade stainless steel) to an offshore clean gas liquefaction plant for liquefaction. Furthermore, the problem of boil-off gas creation in a cryogenic pipeline is avoided as well.
  • the LNG produced offshore can be exported directly or can be (partly) temporarily stored at the offshore location of liquefaction.
  • An existing onshore pre-treatment plant can be supplied from a pipeline from an offshore or onshore gas and/or oil field, which gas could comprise stranded gas and/or associated gas as well.
  • a first treatment like for example dehydration and/or the separation of light and heavy gasses is carried out.
  • the dry and light gas can be transported in a pressurized form to the offshore liquefaction unit via a regular steel sub-sea gas pipeline, as the pre-treated gas is no longer corrosive. In this way the use of an expensive cryogenic pipeline or an expensive stainless steel raw gas pipeline can be avoided.
  • the offshore hydrocarbon transport system with the liquefaction unit can comprise for example a barge, vessel, a permanently weathervaning or spread moored converted tanker, A GBS, a breakwater, a tower or a buoy, all provided with at least a clean gas liquefaction plant and the possibility to store produced LNG in LNG storage tanks near the liquefaction unit or in a separate storage unit close to or moored to the liquefaction unit.
  • the offshore system can also comprise a converted LNG carrier still comprising its LNG storage tanks and being provided in addition with a relative small gas liquefaction plant. This converted carrier can be slowly filled up with LNG and when the tanks are full, it can be disconnected from the clean gas pipeline and sail under its own power to an LNG offloading site.
  • the gas liquefaction process requires a lot of energy and instead of having a relatively large power generating unit with a large footprint on the liquefaction unit itself, onshore generated power can be delivered to the liquefaction unit via a high voltage sub-sea cable.
  • power on board of the offshore installation can be generated by the high pressure clean gas (which has a pressure higher than for instance 800psi).
  • This pressurized gas will be expanded and the energy that is generated will drive the liquefaction process and the nitrogen cycle.
  • turbo-generators When part of the pressurized gas is used to drive the liquefaction process then there is no need for turbo-generators at the offshore structure by which space can be saved and maintenance can be avoided.
  • pressurized gas that is too rich to be liquefied can be back routed from the off shore liquefaction plant to the shore, during times when no pretreated clean gas is sent to the offshore liquefaction plant.
  • This separation can be carried out offshore and the rich gas will be transported back to the onshore gas treatment plant where it is further treated.
  • Fig. 1 shows a schematic lay-out of an onshore pre-treatment plant and an offshore liquefaction unit
  • Fig. 2 shows the lay-out of figure 1 in combination with an oil export terminal.
  • Figure 1 shows a hydrocarbon transport system 1 comprising an offshore cryogenic export system 2 and an on shore gas treatment plant 3.
  • the export system 2 comprises a barge 5 with a liquefaction unit 7 and with LNG storage tanks 9.
  • the treatment plant 3 comprises a power generator 10, the output of which is transported to the barge 5 via a high voltage cable 11.
  • Gas that is transported to the pre-treatment plant 3 via offshore pipeline 12 from a near shore field, or via pipeline 13 from an onshore gas field, is dehydrated, cleaned and separated into heavy and light gases.
  • the treated (dry and light) gas is supplied via the pipeline 14 to the liquefaction unit 7 on the barge 7.
  • the pipeline 14 is made of regular steel, for example Carbon Steel with a wall thickness between 10 and 20 mm, a diameter between 60 and 100 cm and has for instance a length of between 2 and 15 klm, depending on the offshore situation.
  • the pressure of the dry gas in the pipeline 14 can be a low pressure of 5 to 10 bar , but can also be a high pressure which can go up to 90 bar.
  • the liquefied gas can be transferred to a shuttle carrier 15 and/or can be stored in the tanks 9 on the barge 5.
  • the pressure of the gas supplied through pipeline 14 can be used to power the liquefaction process on the barge 5.
  • This gas expansion unit 8 can be used instead of (or in combination with ) the power supply via high voltage cable 11.
  • gas and oil are supplied via pipelines 12,14 to the pre- treatment plant 13.
  • the oil is after treatment supplied via a further pipeline to an offshore transfer buoy 17 to which an oil tanker 18 is moored in a weathervaning manner.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Thermal Sciences (AREA)
  • Ocean & Marine Engineering (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Oil, Petroleum & Natural Gas (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Filling Or Discharging Of Gas Storage Vessels (AREA)

Abstract

A floating offshore cryogenic hydrocarbon (such as LNG) export system (1) comprising one onshore (existing) gas/ oil treatment plant (3) for pretreatment of the natural (stranded or associated) gas, coming (12,13) from a near shore gas and/or oil field, a pipeline (14) connected on one side to the onshore plant (3) and on the other side to an offshore liquefaction system (2) for supplying pressurized pretreated gas from the plant to the liquefaction system, which system comprises at least one liquefaction unit (7) for the liquefaction of pretreated gas and LNG storing capacities (9) .

Description

Hydrocarbon liquefaction system and method.
The present invention relates to a hydrocarbon liquefaction system and to a method of liquefying hydrocarbon gas.
From US20030226373 it is known to use two nautical vessels to produce, store and upload LPG and LNG. Typical front end processing is preformed on the first vessel. The treated inlet gas is transported to the second vessel where liquefaction of gas takes place and which also provides for storage until the LNG is offloaded to a transport vessel.
A different pre-treatment plant is mentioned in US6250244 in the name of BHP, wherein pre-treatment plants are discussed that can be provided on an offshore rig, on a separate unit, on a platform or on a gravity base.
Gas liquefaction and storage on a vessel are also known from several patents. DE3200958 in the name of Linde AG and US6003603 in the name of Statoil are describing the combination of first treatment of natural gas on a field installation and subsequent liquefaction and storage on a tanker. Several companies have developed concept proposals for offshore liquefaction of gas: Shell, Exxon Mobil, Statoil, Samsung, IHI, KHI, HHI, KBR, JGC, Technip (GBS), BHP (GBS), Moss Maritime (Saipem), Bouygues Offshore (Saipem) and ABB/SBM.
Offshore liquefaction of natural gas is a process that requires a lot of energy. To provide a power supply unit on an offshore installation for powering the processes of gas refinery to provide clean gas and full scale liquefaction of the clean gas into LNG is expensive and needs a large foot print at the liquefaction barge. Furthermore, the transport of untreated "raw" gas via a sub sea pipeline to the offshore liquefaction plant requires a dedicated pipeline made of relatively expensive material (stainless steel) in order to resist corrosion by the untreated gas, as the latter is very corrosive. It is also known to produce LNG on shore. For safety reasons the loading of an LNG carrier must take place at a certain minimal distance from the onshore liquefaction plant. This means that a very expensive sub-sea cryogenic pipe line for transfer of LNG from shore to the offshore loading station for the LNG carrier is needed. For example, at the time of filing of the application for the present invention, a cryogenic pipeline may cost around 2.5 million dollars per km, compared to the costs of a regular gas pipeline being around 5OK dollars per km. For installing a cryogenic sub-sea pipeline often dredging operations are required. Furthermore, these sub-sea cryogenic pipelines have an additional complexity in being difficult to keep at the right temperature, especially when no LNG carrier is connected to the loading station.
It is an object of the present invention to solve the problems in offshore liquefaction of hydrocarbon gas. It is in particular an object of the present invention to provide a system and method in which the use of a cryogenic pipeline can be avoided. It is furthermore an object of the invention to provide a system and method in which a relative safe and low cost offshore liquefaction plant can be obtained.
Hereto a hydrocarbon transport system according to the invention comprises a floating offshore cryogenic hydrocarbon export system with a liquefaction unit and an onshore gas treatment plant connected via a first pipeline to a near shore or onshore gas and/ or oil field, for pretreatment of the natural gas supplied to the plant via said first pipeline, a second pipeline connected with one end to the onshore plant and with its other end to the liquefaction unit, the second pipeline being adapted to operate above cryogenic temperatures for supplying low or high pressurized pretreated gas from the plant to the liquefaction unit for the liquefaction of the pretreated gas supplied via the second pipeline.
By the hydrocarbon system of the present invention, which in particular provides an improved LNG export system, a safer and more economical way of producing and exporting liquefied natural gas from an onshore plant is possible. The LNG production and LNG loading processes are far away from shore which is much safer than an onshore or near shore situation. The combination of an offshore installation with (remove 'a') liquefaction capacities connected to a shore based plant for first treatment of raw gas, provides for an economic liquefaction process. The first treatment of the raw gas takes place onshore, where after treated or clean gas can be sent through a long and relative cheap, standard sub-sea gas pipe (without the need for expensive cryogenic resistant constructions or materials, and which can be made of ordinary steel instead of high grade stainless steel) to an offshore clean gas liquefaction plant for liquefaction. Furthermore, the problem of boil-off gas creation in a cryogenic pipeline is avoided as well.
The LNG produced offshore can be exported directly or can be (partly) temporarily stored at the offshore location of liquefaction.
An existing onshore pre-treatment plant can be supplied from a pipeline from an offshore or onshore gas and/or oil field, which gas could comprise stranded gas and/or associated gas as well. In the on shore plant a first treatment, like for example dehydration and/or the separation of light and heavy gasses is carried out. After this pre-treatment the dry and light gas can be transported in a pressurized form to the offshore liquefaction unit via a regular steel sub-sea gas pipeline, as the pre-treated gas is no longer corrosive. In this way the use of an expensive cryogenic pipeline or an expensive stainless steel raw gas pipeline can be avoided.
The offshore hydrocarbon transport system with the liquefaction unit can comprise for example a barge, vessel, a permanently weathervaning or spread moored converted tanker, A GBS, a breakwater, a tower or a buoy, all provided with at least a clean gas liquefaction plant and the possibility to store produced LNG in LNG storage tanks near the liquefaction unit or in a separate storage unit close to or moored to the liquefaction unit. The offshore system can also comprise a converted LNG carrier still comprising its LNG storage tanks and being provided in addition with a relative small gas liquefaction plant. This converted carrier can be slowly filled up with LNG and when the tanks are full, it can be disconnected from the clean gas pipeline and sail under its own power to an LNG offloading site. The gas liquefaction process requires a lot of energy and instead of having a relatively large power generating unit with a large footprint on the liquefaction unit itself, onshore generated power can be delivered to the liquefaction unit via a high voltage sub-sea cable.
Alternatively, power on board of the offshore installation can be generated by the high pressure clean gas (which has a pressure higher than for instance 800psi). This pressurized gas will be expanded and the energy that is generated will drive the liquefaction process and the nitrogen cycle. When part of the pressurized gas is used to drive the liquefaction process then there is no need for turbo-generators at the offshore structure by which space can be saved and maintenance can be avoided.
Via the second pipe line, pressurized gas that is too rich to be liquefied can be back routed from the off shore liquefaction plant to the shore, during times when no pretreated clean gas is sent to the offshore liquefaction plant. This separation can be carried out offshore and the rich gas will be transported back to the onshore gas treatment plant where it is further treated.
Some embodiments of a hydrocarbon transport system according to the present invention will be explained in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:
Fig. 1 shows a schematic lay-out of an onshore pre-treatment plant and an offshore liquefaction unit, and Fig. 2 shows the lay-out of figure 1 in combination with an oil export terminal.
Figure 1 shows a hydrocarbon transport system 1 comprising an offshore cryogenic export system 2 and an on shore gas treatment plant 3. The export system 2 comprises a barge 5 with a liquefaction unit 7 and with LNG storage tanks 9. The treatment plant 3 comprises a power generator 10, the output of which is transported to the barge 5 via a high voltage cable 11. Gas that is transported to the pre-treatment plant 3 via offshore pipeline 12 from a near shore field, or via pipeline 13 from an onshore gas field, is dehydrated, cleaned and separated into heavy and light gases. The treated (dry and light) gas, is supplied via the pipeline 14 to the liquefaction unit 7 on the barge 7. The pipeline 14 is made of regular steel, for example Carbon Steel with a wall thickness between 10 and 20 mm, a diameter between 60 and 100 cm and has for instance a length of between 2 and 15 klm, depending on the offshore situation. The pressure of the dry gas in the pipeline 14 can be a low pressure of 5 to 10 bar , but can also be a high pressure which can go up to 90 bar. The liquefied gas can be transferred to a shuttle carrier 15 and/or can be stored in the tanks 9 on the barge 5. It should be clear that instead of a power cable 11, the pressure of the gas supplied through pipeline 14 can be used to power the liquefaction process on the barge 5. This has been indicated by a gas expansion unit 8 indicated with a dashed line on board of the barge 5. This gas expansion unit 8 can be used instead of (or in combination with ) the power supply via high voltage cable 11.
As is shown in figure 2, gas and oil are supplied via pipelines 12,14 to the pre- treatment plant 13. The oil is after treatment supplied via a further pipeline to an offshore transfer buoy 17 to which an oil tanker 18 is moored in a weathervaning manner.

Claims

Claims
1. A hydrocarbon transport system (1) comprising a floating offshore cryogenic hydrocarbon export system (2) with a liquefaction unit (7) and an onshore gas treatment plant (3) connected via a first pipeline (12,13) to a gas and/ or oil field, for pretreatment of the natural gas supplied to the plant via said first pipeline, a second pipeline (14) connected with one end to the on shore plant (3) and with its other end to the liquefaction unit (7), the second pipeline (14) being adapted to operate above cryogenic temperatures for supplying low to high pressurized pretreated gas from the plant (3) to the liquefaction unit (7) for the liquefaction of the pretreated gas supplied via the second pipeline.
2. Hydrocarbon transport system (1) according to claim 1, the second pipeline (14) being arranged to supply compressed gas at a pressure above 30 bar, preferably above
50 bar.
3. Hydrocarbon transport system (1) according to any of the preceding claims, the export system (2) comprising LNG storage tanks (9).
4. Hydrocarbon transport system (1) according to claim 1,2 or 3, the export system (2) comprising a power generator with a gas expansion unit (8) for generating power for the liquefaction process.
5. Hydrocarbon transport system (1) according to claim 1, 2,3 or 4, characterized in that a high voltage cable (11) extends from an onshore placed power generator unit (10) to the offshore liquefaction unit (7) for supplying power for the liquefaction process.
6. Hydrocarbon transport system (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that an oil pipeline (16) extends from the onshore plant to an offshore structure (17) for exporting oil.
7. Method of liquefaction of a hydrocarbon gas, comprising the steps of :
- supplying gaseous untreated hydrocarbon from an offshore or onshore hydrocarbon well to an onshore treatment plant for pretreatment of the natural gas,
- pre treating and pressuring (a range of for instance between 5- 90 bar) said hydrocarbon in the onshore plant,
- supplying the pre-treated pressurized gas via a pipeline, in gaseous form, to an offshore liquefaction system and
- liquefying the pre-treated gas.
8. Method according to claim 7, comprising the step of storing the liquefied gas in an offshore storage member.
9. Method according to claim 7 or 8, comprising the step of expanding the compressed gas at the offshore liquefaction system and generating power using the expansion of said gas and using the generated power for liquefaction of the pre-treated gas.
10. Method according to any of claim 7-9, comprising the step of supplying power from an on shore power plant to the offshore liquefaction system for the liquefaction of the pre-treated gas.
PCT/NL2006/050302 2005-12-01 2006-12-01 Hydrocarbon liquefaction system and method WO2007064209A1 (en)

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