HYDROCARBON FLUID PROCESSING PLANT DESIGN
First Claim
1. A method of designing a hydrocarbon fluid processing plant, comprising:
- A) providing a process unit configuration for one or more processing units included in a hydrocarbon fluid processing plant;
B) determining a cost to capacity relationship for a plurality of equipment types included in said one or more processing units;
C) running a process simulation model to obtain a process simulation for said process unit configuration, said process simulation including the estimated capacity of said plurality of equipment types;
D) determining a cost measure for said process simulation, said cost measure including an equipment cost measure determined using said estimated capacity of said plurality of equipment types and said cost to capacity relationships;
E) altering a process variable in said process simulation model; and
F) repeating steps C through E a plurality of times.
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Abstract
The current invention is related to methods of designing hydrocarbon fluid processing plants and methods of producing hydrocarbon fluids using hydrocarbon fluid processing plants. More particularly, some embodiments of the invention are related to methods of designing natural gas liquefaction plants and methods of producing LNG using natural gas liquefaction plants. One embodiment of the invention includes a method of designing a hydrocarbon fluid processing plant, including: A) providing a process unit configuration for one or more processing units included in a hydrocarbon fluid processing plant; B) determining a cost to capacity relationship for a plurality of equipment types included in the one or more processing units; C) running a process simulation model to obtain a process simulation for the process unit configuration, the process simulation including the estimated capacity of the plurality of equipment types; D) determining a cost measure for the process simulation, the cost measure including an equipment cost measure determined using said estimated capacity of the plurality of equipment types and the cost to capacity relationships; E) altering a process variable in the process simulation model; and F) repeating steps C through E a plurality of times.
41 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of designing a hydrocarbon fluid processing plant, comprising:
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A) providing a process unit configuration for one or more processing units included in a hydrocarbon fluid processing plant;
B) determining a cost to capacity relationship for a plurality of equipment types included in said one or more processing units;
C) running a process simulation model to obtain a process simulation for said process unit configuration, said process simulation including the estimated capacity of said plurality of equipment types;
D) determining a cost measure for said process simulation, said cost measure including an equipment cost measure determined using said estimated capacity of said plurality of equipment types and said cost to capacity relationships;
E) altering a process variable in said process simulation model; and
F) repeating steps C through E a plurality of times. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method of producing a hydrocarbon fluid product, said hydrocarbon fluid product produced from a hydrocarbon fluid processing plant, said hydrocarbon fluid processing plant designed at least partially using the following steps:
- a) providing a process unit configuration for one or more processing units included in said hydrocarbon fluid processing plant;
b) determining a cost to capacity relationship for a plurality of equipment types included in said one or more processing units;
c) running a process simulation model to obtain a process simulation for said process unit configuration, said process simulation including the estimated capacity of said plurality of equipment types;
d) determining a cost measure for said process simulation, said cost measure including an equipment cost measure determined using said estimated capacity of said plurality of equipment types and said cost to capacity relationships;
e) altering a process variable in said process simulation model; and
f) repeating steps c through e a plurality of times, said method comprising producing said hydrocarbon fluid product from said hydrocarbon fluid processing plant. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
- a) providing a process unit configuration for one or more processing units included in said hydrocarbon fluid processing plant;
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20. A tangible media including a set of instructions readable by a computer, said set of instructions comprising:
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A) a process configuration module suitable for inputting a process unit configuration for one or more processing units included in a hydrocarbon fluid processing plant;
B) a register module suitable for storing cost to capacity relationships for a plurality of equipment types included in said one or more processing units;
C) a process simulation model suitable for obtaining a process simulation for a process unit configuration, said process simulation suitable for estimating the capacity of said plurality of equipment types;
D) a cost calculation module suitable for determining a cost measure for said process simulation, said cost measure including an equipment cost measure determined using said estimated capacity of said plurality of equipment types and said cost to capacity relationships;
E) a process variable interfacing module suitable for allowing alteration of a process variable of said process simulation model;
F) a repetition module suitable for repeating modules C through E a plurality of times; and
G) an output module suitable for producing a data display.
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Specification