Fluid comprising methane and a tracer, and processes for producing it and the use thereof
AssigneeShell Oil Company
InventorsWouter Martinus Van Der Veer, Stuart Meredith MacDonald
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A labelled methane, such as LNG, has methane and a tracer, in the form of a slush of liquids and solids. The invention especially relates to LNG having a tracer. The labelled methane may comprise, in addition to the tracer, an odorant, and a carrier for the odorant. The odorant is ethyl acetate and/or ethyl mercaptan. The carrier for the odorant is propane, n-butane, iso-butane, or a mixture of two or more thereof. A process for preparing the liquid or slush involves liquefying a gas comprising methane and tracer.
Claims17
A labelled methane comprising fluid comprising:
- a methane comprising fluid,
- methyl acetate, in a range of from 1 to 250 ppm, calculated on the total mass of the labelled methane comprising fluid;
- an odorant in a range of from 1 to 100 ppm, and
- a carrier in a range of from 0.1 to 10 m/m %, calculated on the total mass of the labelled methane comprising fluid;
- wherein the carrier is propane, n-butane, iso-butane, or a mixture of two or more thereof, and
- wherein the odorant is ethyl acrylate, ethyl mercaptan, or a mixture thereof,
- wherein the labelled methane comprising fluid is a liquid, or a slush of liquid and solids.
A process for preparing a labelled methane comprising fluid comprising methyl acetate in a range of from 1 to 250 ppm, the process comprising the following steps:
- a) adding methyl acetate to a methane comprising liquid, or a methane comprising slush of liquid and solids;
- b) adding an odorant in a range of from 1 to 100 ppm, and a carrier in a range of from 0.1 to 10 m/m % wherein the odorant and the carrier are added separately and/or mixed, and
- wherein the methyl acetate is added separately and/or mixed with the odorant and/or the carrier, and
- wherein the carrier is propane, n-butane, iso-butane, or a mixture of two or more thereof, and
- wherein the odorant is ethyl acrylate, ethyl mercaptan, or a mixture thereof.
A process for preparing a labelled methane comprising fluid comprising methyl acetate in a range of from 1 to 250 ppm, the process comprising the following steps:
- a) adding methyl acetate to a methane comprising gas;
- b) adding an odorant in a range of from 1 to 100 ppm of an odorant, and in a range of from 0.1 to 10 m/m % of a carrier to methane comprising gas,
- wherein the odorant and carrier are added separately and/or mixed, and
- wherein the methyl acetate is added separately and/or mixed with the odorant and/or the carrier, and
- wherein the carrier is propane, n-butane, iso-butane, or a mixture of two or more thereof, and
- wherein the odorant is ethyl acrylate, ethyl mercaptan, or a mixture thereof;
- and
- c) liquefying the mixture obtained in step a) to a temperature in a range of from −62° C. to −185° C. and a pressure in a range of from 20 mbara to 120 bara.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.