Methods for expanding and enriching hydrocarbon diluent pools
First Claim
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1. A method for the controlled production and distribution of LDH enriched diluents so as not to violate pre-defined limits selected from LDH content, volatility, density, and combinations thereof comprising:
- a) providing a diluent stream having a flow rate, a line pressure, a LDH content, a volatility and a density;
b) providing a variable rate LDH injection unit in fluid connection with said diluent stream;
c) optionally providing a diluent/petroleum mixing unit in fluid connection with said LDH injection unit and said diluent stream;
d) obtaining values for one or more parameters of said diluent stream selected from LDH content, volatility, density, and combinations thereof;
e) calculating a target rate of injecting LDH into said diluent stream based upon the one or more parameter values in step (d) so as not to violate the foregoing pre-defined limits;
f) injecting LDH into the diluent stream from the LDH injection unit at a pressure greater than said diluent stream pressure, and an actual injection rate less than or equal to said target rate calculated in step (e); and
g) periodically repeating steps (d) and (e) and adjusting the injection rate in step (f) based upon the most recent calculation from step (e),wherein the API gravity of said diluent stream after said LDH injection step (f) is between 46 and 86, and the LDH content of said diluent stream after said LDH injection step (f) is between 5.0% and 7.0%.
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Abstract
The invention provides a method for enriching diluents with butane so as not to violate pre-defined limits for liquid hydrocarbon fuels with respect to density, volatility and low density hydrocarbon content.
56 Citations
33 Claims
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1. A method for the controlled production and distribution of LDH enriched diluents so as not to violate pre-defined limits selected from LDH content, volatility, density, and combinations thereof comprising:
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a) providing a diluent stream having a flow rate, a line pressure, a LDH content, a volatility and a density; b) providing a variable rate LDH injection unit in fluid connection with said diluent stream; c) optionally providing a diluent/petroleum mixing unit in fluid connection with said LDH injection unit and said diluent stream; d) obtaining values for one or more parameters of said diluent stream selected from LDH content, volatility, density, and combinations thereof; e) calculating a target rate of injecting LDH into said diluent stream based upon the one or more parameter values in step (d) so as not to violate the foregoing pre-defined limits; f) injecting LDH into the diluent stream from the LDH injection unit at a pressure greater than said diluent stream pressure, and an actual injection rate less than or equal to said target rate calculated in step (e); and g) periodically repeating steps (d) and (e) and adjusting the injection rate in step (f) based upon the most recent calculation from step (e), wherein the API gravity of said diluent stream after said LDH injection step (f) is between 46 and 86, and the LDH content of said diluent stream after said LDH injection step (f) is between 5.0% and 7.0%. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 27, 30, 31)
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18. A method for the controlled production and distribution of a LDH enriched diluent stream so as not to violate pre-defined limits for LDH content, volatility and density, comprising:
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a) providing a diluent stream having a flow rate, pressure, LDH content, volatility and density; b) providing a variable rate LDH injection unit in fluid connection with said diluent stream; c) optionally providing a LDH injection unit in fluid connection with said LDH injection unit and said diluent stream; d) obtaining respective parameter values for the LDH content and volatility upstream of said injection unit; e) obtaining respective parameter values for the density and flow rate of said diluent stream downstream of said injection unit; f) calculating a target rate of injecting LDH into said diluent stream based upon the parameter values for the flow rate, LDH content, volatility and density, in steps (d) and (e), so as not to violate the foregoing pre-defined limits for LDH content, volatility and density; g) injecting LDH into the diluent stream from the LDH injection unit at a pressure greater than said diluent stream pressure, and an actual injection rate less than or equal to the target rate calculated in step (f); and a) periodically repeating steps (d), (e) and (f), and adjusting the injection rate in step (g) based upon the most recent calculation from step (f), wherein the API gravity of said diluent stream after said LDH injection step (f) is between 46 and 86, and the LDH content of said diluent stream after said LDH injection step (g) is between 5.0% and 7.0%. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 32)
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21. A method for the controlled production and distribution of a LDH enriched diluent stream so as not to violate pre-defined limits for LDH content, comprising:
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a) providing a diluent stream having a flow rate, pressure, LDH content, volatility and density; b) providing a variable rate LDH injection unit in fluid connection with said diluent stream; c) optionally providing a petroleum/diluent blending unit in fluid connection with said LDH injection unit and said diluent stream; d) obtaining respective parameter values for the LDH content and flow rate upstream of said diluent stream; e) calculating a target rate of injecting LDH into said diluent stream based upon the flow rate and LDH content obtained in step (d), so as not to violate the foregoing pre-defined limits for LDH content; f) injecting LDH into the diluent stream from the LDH injection unit at an actual injection rate less than or equal to said target rate calculated in step (e); and g) periodically repeating steps (d) and (e) and adjusting the injection rate in step (f) based upon the most recent calculation from step (e), wherein the API gravity of said diluent stream after said LDH injection step (f) is between 46 and 86, and the LDH content of said diluent stream after said LDH injection step (f) is between 5.0% and 7.0%. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 28, 29, 33)
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Specification