Shallow depth, low pressure gas storage facilities and related methods of use

• US 6,581,618 B2
• Filed: 05/25/2001
• Issued: 06/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canatxx Energy, LLC
• Original Assignee: Canatxx Energy, LLC
• Inventors: Hill, Ross K., Grimes, Paul J.
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, KEVIN L
• Application Number:
  US09/865,405
• Publication Number:
  US 20020174895A1
• Time in Patent Office: 760 Days
• Field of Search: 137/236.1, 137/266, 137/256, 622/60
• US Class Current: 137/1
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 5/00 Storing fluids in natural or artificial cavities or chambers in the earth
• CPC Class Codes: E21F 17/16 Modification of mine passages or chambers for storage purposes, especially for liquids or gases storing fluids in natural or artificial cavities or chambers in the earth B65G5/00
• CPC Class Codes: F17D 1/07 by compression
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0318 Processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/402 Distribution systems involving geographic features

Abstract

A shallow depth, low pressure gas storage facility(s) and related methods of use are disclosed for purposes relating to a supply of gas in a gas pipeline and a supply of gas to a user. The shallows depth, low pressure gas storage facility(s) of the present invention have characteristics of high deliverability of injection and withdrawal over a wide pressure range.

Claims

1. A method for enhancing the operation of a gas pipeline comprising the steps of:

connecting a gas storage facility having a given operating pressure to a gas pipeline having an operating pressure which is nominally the same as said given pressure; and

,

monitoring a pressure of gas in the gas pipeline such that when the supply of the gas is greater than the demand for the gas, a gas purchaser may divert a portion of the gas in the gas pipeline to the gas storage facility from the gas pipeline and when the demand of the gas is greater than the supply of the gas, the gas purchaser may divert a portion of the gas from the gas storage facility into the gas pipeline.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of forming the gas storage facility.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of filling the gas storage facility with the gas.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising a compressor for diverting the gas.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the compressor is a MOPICO gas compressor or compressor.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein the compressor is a centrifugal gas compressor.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the gas storage facility is a depleted petroleum field.

8. The method of claim 2 wherein the facility is formed in a salt formation.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the pressure of the gas storage facility is about at a pipeline operating pressure.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the gas storage facility is at least a portion at a depth of about 800 to about 1200 feet below a surface.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the surface is ground level.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the gas to be diverted to the gas pipeline is heated.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the gas to be diverted to the gas pipeline is dried.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the gas is heated before it is diverted to the gas pipeline.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the gas is dried before it is diverted to the gas pipeline

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the gas is cooled.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the gas pipeline is connected to an end user.

18. The method of claim 1 further comprising multiple gas storage facilities in series.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein the gas storage facility is a salt formation.

20. The method of claim 1 further comprising multiple gas storage facilities in parallel.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein the gas is diverted with at least one compressor.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the compressor is capable of multiple modes of operation.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the multiple modes of operation include at least series and parallel modes of operation.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein the at least one compressor is multiple compressors.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the multiple compressors are configured in series.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein a gas supply from the gas storage facility or facilities is in series.

27. The method of claim 25 wherein a gas supply from the gas storage facility or facilities is in parallel.

28. The method of claim 24 wherein the multiple compressors are configured in parallel.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein a gas supply from the gas storage facility or facilities is in series.

30. The method of claim 28 wherein a gas supply from the gas storage facility or facilities is in parallel.

31. The method of claim 1 wherein the gas storage facility or facilities further comprises a top and a bottom.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein the top of the gas storage facility or facilities is at a depth of about 600 feet to about 1000 feet.

33. The method of claim 31 wherein the bottom of the gas storage facility or facilities is at a depth of about 1000 feet to about 2000 feet.

34. The method of claim 31 wherein the top of the gas storage facility or facilities is at a depth of about 400 feet to about 1200 feet.

35. The method of claim 31 wherein the bottom of the gas storage facility or facilities is at a depth of about 800 feet to about 2500 feet.

36. The method of claim 31 wherein the connection of the gas storage facility or facilities to the gas pipeline is very large.

37. A method for an end user to facilitate rapid control of a gas inventory comprising the steps of:

providing a gas storage facility having a given operating pressure;

connecting the gas storage facility to a gas pipeline having an operating pressure which is nominally the same as said given pressure; and

allowing selective accessibility by the end user to divert gas to and from the gas storage facility to the gas pipeline.

38. The method of claim 37 wherein the gas storage facilities are low pressure gas storage facilities.

39. The method of claim 37 wherein the gas in the gas storage facilities is about a normal pipeline operating pressure.

40. The method of claim 37 wherein the end user diverts the gas.

41. The method of claim 37 further comprising placing a compressor between the gas storage facility and the gas pipeline.

42. The method of claim 37 wherein the gas flow rates are about equal when diverted into the gas storage facility and when diverted out of the gas storage facility.

43. The method of claim 38 wherein the gas storage facility may be diverted to balance the gas pipeline.

44. The method of claim 37 wherein multiple gas storage facilities are connected in series.

45. The method of claim 37 wherein multiple gas storage facilities are connected in parallel.

46. The method of claims 44 and 45 wherein the pressures in the connected gas storage facilities are different.

47. The method of claim 37 wherein the end user is a power generation facility.

48. The method of claim 37 wherein the step of further allowing selective accessibilty further comprises at least one compressor.

49. The method of claim 48 wherein the at least one compressor is multiple compressors capable of operation in multiple modes.

50. The method of claim 49 wherein the multiple compressors are configured in series.

51. The method of claim 50 wherein a gas supply from the gas storage facility or facilities is in series.

52. The method of claim 50 wherein a gas supply from the gas storage facility or facilities is in parallel.

53. The method of claim 49 wherein the multiple compressors are configured in parallel.

54. The method of claim 53 wherein a gas supply from the gas storage facility or facilities is in series.

55. The method of claim 53 wherein a gas supply from the gas storage facility or facilities is in parallel.

56. The method of claim 37 wherein the connection of the gas storage facility or facilities to the gas pipeline is very large.