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Method for developing a long-term strategy for allocating a supply of liquefied natural gas

  • US 10,013,663 B2
  • Filed: 11/15/2012
  • Issued: 07/03/2018
  • Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2011
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method for shipping liquefied natural gas (LNG) comprising:

  • developing a long-term strategy for allocating a supply of LNG, wherein the strategy identifies potential options in the LNG market while adhering to limitations of available shipping capacity, wherein identifying the potential options comprises;

    modeling an LNG market using one or more optimization models in a computer system, wherein the LNG market includes at least one buyer of LNG, at least one seller of LNG, an LNG terminal, and at least one ship for transporting LNG, wherein the one or more optimization models comprises a stochastic programming model, a stochastic dynamic program, a robust optimization model, a mixed integer linear programming model, a dynamic programming model, an approximate dynamic programming model, a constraint programing model, or a combination thereof, and wherein the one or more optimization models incorporate a network flow model and uses discrete variables to represent fixed penalties, costs and incentives on various options, batch cargo movements, limits on options, and IF-THEN logic on option constraints;

    inputting a plurality of inputs into the one or more optimization models, wherein uncertainty in the one or more inputs is represented as one or more of multiple scenarios, probability distribution functions, ranges of values, and a discrete set of values, wherein the uncertainty in the plurality of inputs includes one or more of shipping capacity on particular routes and the number, size, and speed of ships traveling on a particular route, and wherein the plurality of inputs comprise at least one of ship routes between all supply and destination terminals and types or grades of available LNG;

    interfacing one or more solution algorithms with the one or more optimization models in the computer system; and

    running in the computer system the one or more optimization models using the interfaced one or more solution algorithms to identify potential options in the LNG market, wherein uncertainty is accounted for in the identified potential options, and wherein the identified potential options include limits on potential deals, including one or more of maximum number of parties on one side of a deal, maximum number of parties per deal, maximum number of sets of parties dealing, and disallowed deals;

    outputting the identified potential options; and

    shipping LNG according to one or more of the identified potential options.

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