Moving-riser method and system for harvesting natural gas from seabed hydrates
AssigneeUniversity of Louisiana at Lafayette
InventorBoyun Guo
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and equipment for harvesting natural gas from seabed hydrates are disclosed. The preferred equipment includes a mobile riser, a water injection nozzle, a gas collector, a gas separator, a gas compressor, a water pump, and a water boiler. A fraction of produced gas is used to heat water which is in turn injected to seafloor for dissociating gas hydrates. The preferred method of the invention comprises producing natural gas from seabed hydrates using a production ship with a moving riser installed. This method eliminates the need of drilling wells and thus cuts cost of gas production tremendously.
Claims13
A method for harvesting natural gas from seabed gas hydrates comprising:
- a. delivering hot water through a hose assembly to a seafloor;
- b. injecting said hot water through said hose assembly to at least one gas hydrate located on said seafloor;
- c. collecting the gas released from said at least one gas hydrate;
- and
- d. transporting said collected gas from the seafloor to a vessel through said hose assembly.
A method for dissociating gas hydrates on the seabed comprising injection of hot water containing hydrate inhibitors through a riser assembly wherein said riser assembly comprises an inner pipe and an outer pipe.
A system for harvesting natural gas from seabed gas hydrates comprising:
- a. a conduit with a submersible pump in connection with the sea at one end and with a water injection pump at the other end, so that said conduit transfers seawater to said water injection pump;
- b. a hot water heater in connection with said water injection pump wherein said water injection pump transfers said seawater to said hot water heater;
- c. a hose assembly in connection with said hot water heater and a seafloor wherein said hose assembly comprises a seawater injector and a gas intake at the seafloor end and an outtake on the other end;
- d. a liquid gas separator in connection with said hose assembly outtake, said gas liquid gas separator comprising a water phase outtake and a gaseous phase outtake;
- e. a compressor in connection with said liquid gas separator gaseous phase outtake;
- and
- f. a gas holding tank in connection with said compressor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.