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METHOD AND AN APPARATUS FOR OBTAINING ENERGY BY EXPANDING A GAS AT A WELLHEAD

  • US 20130015669A1
  • Filed: 03/29/2011
  • Published: 01/17/2013
  • Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2010
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. An apparatus (100,300) for reducing the pressure of a natural gas (2) available at an extraction pressure (P1) at a wellhead of a natural gas field, said apparatus (100) comprising:

  • an energy recovery expansion device (8,20) for expanding said natural gas until a use pressure (P2) is reached, said energy recovery expansion device (20) having a rotor rotatably arranged about an own axis and a stator, and a gas passageway defined between said rotor and said stator;

    an electric power generator (29) that is mechanically connected to said rotor of said energy recovery expansion device (20), so that said electric power generator (29) generates an electric power (W) when a stream of said natural gas is conveyed in said passageway of said energy recovery expansion device (20) thus causing a rotation of said is rotor and causing the gas to expand;

    an electric power extraction means for extracting said electric power (W) generated by said electric power generator (29),characterised in that said apparatus comprises a treatment means, upstream of said energy recovery expansion device (8,20), said treatment means comprising;

    a solid and/or liquid separation means (11) for separating a solid and/or a liquid fraction that is present in said natural gas (2), anda gas-conditioning means (7) that is adapted to prevent a formation of a solid during said expansion in said rotor,such that said natural gas (2) is turned into a treated gas (3).

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