Dockside Ship-To-Ship Transfer of LNG

• US 20100263389A1
• Filed: 04/14/2010
• Published: 10/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Excelerate Energy Limited Partnership (RWE AG)
• Original Assignee: Excelerate Energy Limited Partnership (RWE AG)
• Inventors: Cook, Jonathan, Bryngelson, Robert Allen, Lane, Mark, Scott, Edward
• Application Number:
  US12/760,417
• Publication Number:
  US 20100263389A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 62/50.200
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 27/34 using pipe-lines anchoring arrangements for special vessels with mooring turrets B63B21/507; buoys specially adapted for mooring a vessel and for transferring fluids, e.g. liquids B63B22/021
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 67/62 using devices influenced by the tide or by the movements of the ship, e.g. devices on pontoons
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 9/00 Apparatus or devices for transferring liquids when loading or unloading ships ship-based equipment B63B27/00
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 9/02 using articulated pipes
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 37/002 which can be controlled at a distance
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 55/1022 Fluid cut-off devices automatically actuated
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 13/02 Special adaptations of indicating, measuring, or monitoring equipment measuring in general G01
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2201/052 large (>1000 m3)
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2203/03 Thermal insulations
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0323 Valves
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0326 electrically actuated
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0352 Pipes
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/0364 flexible or articulated, e.g. a hose
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2205/037 Quick connecting means, e.g. couplings
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2221/033 Methane, e.g. natural gas, CNG, LNG, GNL, GNC, PLNG
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2223/0161 cryogenic, e.g. LNG, GNL, PLNG
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2223/033 Small pressure, e.g. for liquefied gas
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2225/0123 gaseous, e.g. CNG, GNC
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2225/0161 cryogenic, e.g. LNG, GNL, PLNG
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2225/033 Small pressure, e.g. for liquefied gas
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2225/035 : High pressure, i.e. between 10 and 80 bars
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2225/036 : Very high pressure, i.e. above 80 bars
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2227/0135 : Pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2227/0178 : in the vessel
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2227/0309 : using another fluid
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2227/0311 : Air heating
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2227/0318 : using seawater
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2227/0323 : in a closed loop
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2227/0393 : using a vaporiser
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2227/0395 : using a submerged heat exchanger
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/032 : using computers
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/034 : using wireless transmissions
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/036 : using alarms
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/0478 : Position or presence
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/0482 : Acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2250/072 : Action when predefined value is reached
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2260/013 : Reducing manufacturing time or effort
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2260/04 : Reducing risks and environmental impact
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2260/048 : Refurbishing
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2265/025 : different fluids
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2265/031 : by discharge
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2265/04 : using an independent energy source, e.g. battery
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2265/05 : Regasification
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2265/068 : Distribution pipeline networks
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/0105 : Ships
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/0136 : Terminals
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 2270/0581 : Power plants
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 70/00 : Maritime or waterways transport

Abstract

Systems and methods for dockside regasification of liquefied natural gas (LNG) are described herein. The methods include providing LNG from a LNG carrier to a regasification vessel. The LNG may be regasified on the regasification vessel. The regasified natural gas may be discharged with a high pressure arm to a dock and delivered onshore. The regasification vessel may be moored to the dock. The LNG carrier may be moored to the regasification vessel or the dock.

Claims

1. A method for dockside vessel regasification of liquefied natural gas (LNG), the method comprising:

transferring LNG from a LNG carrier to a mooring dock, wherein the LNG carrier is moored at the mooring dock;

transferring the LNG from the mooring dock to a regasification vessel;

regasifying the LNG into regasified natural gas onboard the regasification vessel; and

delivering the regasified natural gas to a receiving dock using a high pressure arm.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein LNG is transferred from the mooring dock to a cargo tank on the regasification vessel.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the LNG carrier is located on a first side of the mooring dock, and the regasification vessel is located on a second side of the mooring dock.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the LNG carrier is located on a first side of the mooring dock, wherein the regasification vessel is located on a second side of the mooring dock, wherein the regasification vessel is rotationally coupled to the high pressure arm, and wherein the high pressure arm is located on the receiving dock.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the LNG carrier is located on the same side of the mooring dock as the regasification vessel.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the LNG from the LNG carrier is transferred to the mooring dock using a hard arm.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the LNG is transferred from the LNG carrier to the mooring dock, and then to the regasification vessel, in an uninterrupted flow.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein transferring LNG from a LNG carrier comprises transferring LNG through rigid piping located on the mooring dock.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the regasification vessel is directly connected to a high pressure arm and the high pressure arm is directly connected to a gas pipeline on the receiving dock.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the mooring dock is the same dock as the receiving dock.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the mooring dock is adjacent to the receiving dock.

12. A method for dockside vessel regasification of liquefied natural gas (LNG), the method comprising:

transferring LNG from a LNG carrier to a regasification vessel, wherein the regasification vessel is moored at a dock;

regasifying the LNG into regasified natural gas on the regasification vessel;

delivering the regasified natural gas from the regasification vessel to the dock, wherein the dock is coupled to a first coupled side of the regasification vessel, and the LNG carrier is coupled to a second coupled side of the regasification vessel.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the regasified natural gas is delivered from the regasification vessel to the dock using a high pressure arm and the high pressure arm is located on the dock.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the LNG carrier is moored to the regasification vessel, wherein the regasification vessel comprises an emergency release coupling.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the LNG carrier is moored alongside the regasification vessel and wherein the regasification vessel is moored to the dock.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the LNG carrier is moored on to the aft of the regasification vessel.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the LNG is transferred from the LNG carrier to the regasification vessel, and then to the dock as regasified natural gas in an uninterrupted flow.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the high pressure arm comprises at least one joint and a quick release system.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein the high pressure arm is rotationally coupled to the regasification vessel.

20. A system for dockside vessel regasification of liquefied natural gas (LNG), the system comprising:

a LNG carrier comprising LNG;

a mooring dock, wherein the mooring dock receives the LNG from the LNG carrier;

a regasification vessel, wherein the regasification vessel receives LNG from the mooring dock, and wherein the regasification vessel further comprises a LNG regasification system; and

a high pressure arm, wherein first coupled end of the high pressure arm is rotationally coupled to the regasification vessel and second coupled end of the high pressure arm is coupled to a receiving dock, and the high pressure arm accepts regasified natural gas from the regasification vessel and delivers the regasified natural gas to the receiving dock.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the high pressure arm delivers the regasified natural gas to a pipeline on the receiving dock.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the mooring dock is the same dock as the receiving dock.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein the mooring dock is adjacent to the receiving dock.

24. The system of claim 20, wherein the high pressure arm comprises a quick release system and the regasification vessel comprises an emergency release coupling.

25. The system of claim 20, wherein the high pressure arm comprises at least one joint.

26. A system for dockside vessel regasification of liquefied natural gas (LNG), the system comprising:

a LNG carrier comprising LNG;

a regasification vessel, wherein the regasification vessel receives LNG from the LNG carrier, and wherein the regasification vessel further comprises a LNG regasification system; and

a high pressure arm, wherein first coupled end of the high pressure arm is coupled to the regasification vessel and second coupled end of the high pressure arm is coupled to a dock, and wherein the high pressure arm accepts regasified natural gas from the regasification vessel and delivers the regasified natural gas to a pipeline on the dock.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein transponders detect motion of the regasification vessel.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein the high pressure arm comprises a quick release system.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the regasification vessel comprises an emergency release coupling.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the emergency release coupling comprises a radio communication system.

31. The system of claim 29, wherein the emergency release coupling comprises a pneumatic actuation system.

32. The system of claim 26, wherein the high pressure arm comprises at least one joint.