Integrated processing of natural gas into liquid products
First Claim
1. An integrated process for producing LNG and GTL products comprising the steps of:
- cooling natural gas in at least one cooling step so as to provide a cooled natural gas stream;
processing said cooled natural gas stream in at least two expansion/seperation cycles, each expansion/separation cycle comprising the Substeps of;
a. isentropically or isenthalpically expanding at least a portion of said cooled natural gas steam and producing a natural gas vapor component and a LNG component;
b. separating at least a portion of said natural gas vapor component from said LNG component; and
c. repeating Substeps a. through b., wherein at least a portion of said LNG component from said previous expansion/separation cycle is directed to each successive Substep a., wherein said final LNG product is said LNG component after said final separating step and is substantially liquid at substantially atmospheric pressure; and
converting at least a portion of one or more of said expansion/separation cycle natural gas vapor components into a GTL product.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An integrated process for producing LNG and GTL products is provided comprising cooling natural gas in at least one cooling step so as to provide a cooled natural gas stream; processing the cooled natural gas stream in at least two expansion/separation cycles, each expansion/separation cycle comprising the Substeps of (a) isentropically or isenthalpically expanding at least a portion of the cooled natural gas steam for producing a natural gas vapor component and a LNG component, (b) separating at least a portion of the natural gas vapor component from the LNG component, and (c) repeating substeps (a) through (b) wherein at least a portion of the LNG component from the previous expansion/separation cycle is directed to each successive Substep (a) and wherein the final LNG product is the LNG component after the final separating step and is substantially liquid at substantially atmospheric pressure; and converting at least a portion of one or more of the expansion/separation cycle natural gas vapor components into a GTL product.
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Citations
37 Claims
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1. An integrated process for producing LNG and GTL products comprising the steps of:
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cooling natural gas in at least one cooling step so as to provide a cooled natural gas stream;
processing said cooled natural gas stream in at least two expansion/seperation cycles, each expansion/separation cycle comprising the Substeps of;
a. isentropically or isenthalpically expanding at least a portion of said cooled natural gas steam and producing a natural gas vapor component and a LNG component;
b. separating at least a portion of said natural gas vapor component from said LNG component; and
c. repeating Substeps a. through b., wherein at least a portion of said LNG component from said previous expansion/separation cycle is directed to each successive Substep a., wherein said final LNG product is said LNG component after said final separating step and is substantially liquid at substantially atmospheric pressure; and
converting at least a portion of one or more of said expansion/separation cycle natural gas vapor components into a GTL product. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An integrated process for producing LNG and GTL products comprising:
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cooling natural gas in at least one cooling step so as to provide a cooled natural gas stream;
isentropically or isenthalpically expanding at least a portion of said cooled natural gas steam in a first expansion step and producing a first natural gas vapor component and a first LNG component;
separating at least a portion of said first natural gas vapor component from said first LNG component;
isentropically or isenthalpically expanding at least a portion of said first LNG component in a second expansion step and producing a second natural gas vapor component and a second LNG component;
separating at least a portion of said second natural gas vapor component from said second LNG component; and
converting at least a portion of one or more of said first and second natural gas vapor components into a GTL product. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An integrated process for producing LNG and GTL products comprising:
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cooling natural gas in at least one cooling step so as to provide a cooled natural gas stream;
isentropically or isenthalpically expanding at least a portion of said cooled natural gas steam in a first autorefrigeration step and producing a first natural gas vapor component and a first LNG component;
separating at least a portion of said first natural gas vapor component from said first LNG component;
isentropically or isenthalpically expanding at least a portion of said first LNG component in a second autorefrigeration step and producing a second natural gas vapor component and a second LNG component;
separating at least a portion of said second natural gas vapor component from said second LNG component;
compressing at least a portion of one or more of said first and second natural gas vapor components and producing a compressed natural gas feedstock having a higher temperature than either of said first and second natural gas vapor components; and
converting at least a portion of said compressed natural gas feedstock to a GTL product. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. An integrated process for producing LNG and GTL products comprising:
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cooling natural gas in at least one cooling step so as to provide a cooled natural gas stream;
isentropically or isenthalpically expanding at least a portion of said cooled natural gas steam in a first autorefrigeration step and producing a first natural gas vapor component and a first LNG component;
separating at least a portion of said first natural gas vapor component from said first LNG component;
isentropically or isenthalpically expanding at least a portion of said first LNG component in a second autorefrigeration step and producing a second natural gas vapor component and a second LNG component;
separating at least a portion of said second natural gas vapor component from said second LNG component;
isentropically or isenthalpically expanding at least a portion of said second LNG component in a third autorefrigeration step and producing a third natural gas vapor component and a LNG product;
separating at least a portion of said third natural gas vapor component from said LNG product; and
converting at least a portion of one or more of said first, second and third natural gas vapor components into a GTL product. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A LNG product produced by a process comprising the steps of:
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cooling natural gas in at least one cooling step so as to provide a cooled natural gas stream;
processing said cooled natural gas stream in at least two expansion/seperation cycles, each expansion/separation cycle comprising the Substeps of;
a. isentropically or isenthalpically expanding at least a portion of said cooled natural gas steam and producing a natural gas vapor component and a LNG component;
b. separating at least a portion of said natural gas vapor component from said LNG component; and
d. repeating Substeps a. through b., wherein at least a portion of said LNG component from said previous expansion/separation cycle is directed to each successive Substep a., and wherein said final LNG product is said LNG component after said final separating step and is substantially liquid at substantially atmospheric pressure; and
converting at least a portion of one or more of said expansion/separation cycle natural gas vapor components into a GTL product. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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Specification