초록 ▼

A method of transporting natural gas by liquefaction of natural gas at ambient temperature, achieved by mixing the natural gas at high pressure with a hydrocarbon that is a stable liquid at ambient temperature and ambient pressure. The hydrocarbon liquid may be crude oil or a distillate of crude oil

A method of transporting natural gas by liquefaction of natural gas at ambient temperature, achieved by mixing the natural gas at high pressure with a hydrocarbon that is a stable liquid at ambient temperature and ambient pressure. The hydrocarbon liquid may be crude oil or a distillate of crude oil. The method includes: liquefaction: mixing the natural gas with the hydrocarbon liquid at an ambient temperature and a high pressure to generate a liquid mixture, which contains the natural gas dissolved in the hydrocarbon liquid; shipping: transporting the liquid mixture using a marine tanker, during which the liquid mixture is maintained at ambient temperature and the high pressure; and regasification: at the destination, releasing a gas from the liquid mixture by lowering the pressure of the liquid mixture. The hydrocarbon liquid may be used multiple times.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A process of transporting natural gas, comprising: providing a hydrocarbon liquid, the hydrocarbon liquid being a stable liquid at ambient temperatures and ambient pressures;mixing the natural gas with the hydrocarbon liquid at an ambient temperature and a high pressure to generate a liquid mixtu

1. A process of transporting natural gas, comprising: providing a hydrocarbon liquid, the hydrocarbon liquid being a stable liquid at ambient temperatures and ambient pressures;mixing the natural gas with the hydrocarbon liquid at an ambient temperature and a high pressure to generate a liquid mixture, the liquid mixture being a liquid containing the natural gas dissolved in the hydrocarbon liquid; andtransporting the liquid mixture using a marine tanker from a first location to a second location, during which the liquid mixture is maintained at ambient temperature and the high pressure. 2. The process of claim 1, wherein the hydrocarbon liquid is crude oil. 3. The process of claim 1, wherein the hydrocarbon liquid is a distillate of crude oil. 4. The process of claim 1, wherein the mixing step mixes more than 20 volumes of the natural gas into one volume of the hydrocarbon liquid. 5. The process of claim 1, wherein the high pressure is above 1000 psia. 6. The process of claim 1, further comprising: prior to the mixing step, conditioning the natural gas, including dehydration and hydrogen sulfide removal. 7. The process of claim 1, wherein the mixing step occurs in the marine tanker. 8. The process of claim 1, wherein the mixing step occurs in a buffer storage tank, wherein the process further comprises loading the liquid mixture from the buffer storage tank to the marine tanker. 9. The process of claim 1, wherein the mixing step comprises: loading a volume of the hydrocarbon liquid into a mixing tank at ambient temperature; andpercolating the natural gas at high pressure through the hydrocarbon liquid from a bottom location of the mixing tank, and circulating the mixture to prevent gas/hydrocarbon liquid segregation. 10. The process of claim 9, wherein the mixing tank is the marine tanker or a buffer storage tank. 11. The process of claim 1, wherein the mixing step comprises: compressing the natural gas into a mixing tank at ambient temperature; andpumping the hydrocarbon liquid at high pressure into the mixing tank in droplet or mist form. 12. The process of claim 11, wherein the mixing tank is the marine tanker or a buffer storage tank. 13. The process of claim 1, wherein in the mixing step, a volume reduction ratio of natural gas dissolved in the hydrocarbon liquid at a given pressure at the ambient temperature is lower than a volume reduction ratio of the same natural gas when the natural gas is applied with the same given pressure at the same ambient temperature. 14. A process of transporting natural gas, comprising: transporting a liquid mixture using a marine tanker from a first location to a second location, the liquid mixture being a mixture of the natural gas with a hydrocarbon liquid maintained at an ambient temperature and a high pressure, wherein the hydrocarbon liquid is a stable liquid at ambient temperatures and ambient pressures, wherein the liquid mixture is a liquid containing the natural gas dissolved in the hydrocarbon liquid, and wherein during the transporting the liquid mixture is maintained at the ambient temperature and the high pressure; andat the second location, releasing a gas from the liquid mixture by lowering the pressure of the liquid mixture. 15. The process of claim 14, wherein the high pressure is above 1000 psia. 16. The process of claim 14, wherein the releasing step includes a degasification step which comprises: directing the liquid mixture from the marine tanker to one or more oil-gas separators via a piping system, wherein the separators are at ambient temperature and sequentially lower pressures than the pressure in the marine tanker, and wherein the liquid mixture separates into the gas and a liquid in the separators, the liquid being a hydrocarbon liquid at ambient pressure and temperature; andpiping the gas and the liquid out of the separators. 17. The process of claim 14, further comprising, prior to the transporting step, loading a volume of water in the tanker, wherein the releasing step includes a degasification step which comprises: draining some or all of the water from the tanker, wherein the gas is separated from the liquid mixture into a gas cap space created by draining of the water; andpiping only the gas out of the marine tanker while the gas continually fills the gas cap space, eventually leaving a liquid hydrocarbon in the marine tanker, the liquid being a hydrocarbon liquid at ambient pressure and temperature. 18. The process of claim 14, wherein the releasing step includes a degasification step which comprises: pumping water into the bottom of the tanker cargo holds and displacing the liquid mixture from the holds while maintaining high pressure in the holds; anddirecting the liquid mixture from the tanker to one or more oil-gas separators via a piping system, wherein the separators are at ambient temperature and sequentially lower pressures than the pressure in the marine tanker, and wherein the liquid mixture separates into a gas and a liquid in the separators, the liquid being a hydrocarbon liquid at ambient pressure and temperature; andpiping the gas and the liquid out of the separators. 19. The process of claim 14, wherein in the liquid mixture, a volume reduction ratio of natural gas dissolved in the hydrocarbon liquid at a given pressure at the ambient temperature is lower than a volume reduction ratio of the same natural gas when the natural gas is applied with the same given pressure at the same ambient temperature.