US 2025/0075864 A1 · SYSTEMS AND METHODS OF PREVENTING HYDRATE FORMATION IN GAS PIPELINES

Abstract

A pipeline system includes a pipeline that conveys natural gas and includes a choke valve, one or more adjustable restriction orifices arranged within the pipeline upstream from the choke valve and spaced from each other to define at least first and second pipeline sections, each adjustable restriction orifice including an actuation mechanism, a first pressure gauge in communication with the first pipeline section, and a second pressure gauge in communication with the second pipeline section, and a control system in communication with the first and second pressure gauges and the actuation mechanism of each adjustable restriction orifice. The control system communicates with the actuation mechanism to adjust a size of the adjustable restriction orifices when at least one of the pressure gauges measures and reports a pressure below or exceeding a predetermined pressure threshold.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A pipeline system, comprising:

a pipeline that conveys natural gas;
a choke valve arranged within the pipeline;
one or more adjustable restriction orifices arranged within the pipeline upstream from the choke valve and spaced from each other to thereby define at least a first pipeline section and a second pipeline section within the pipeline, each adjustable restriction orifice including an actuation mechanism;
a first pressure gauge in communication with the first pipeline section, and a second pressure gauge in communication with the second pipeline section;
and
a control system in communication with the first and second pressure gauges and the actuation mechanism of each adjustable restriction orifice,
wherein the control system communicates with the actuation mechanism to adjust a size of the one or more adjustable restriction orifices when at least one of the first and second pressure gauges measures and reports a pressure below or exceeding a predetermined pressure threshold, thereby altering a pressure within the pipeline.

4 more elements

A method, comprising:

conveying natural gas in a pipeline, the pipeline including:
a choke valve arranged in the pipeline;
and
one or more adjustable restriction orifices arranged within the pipeline upstream from the choke valve and spaced from each other to thereby define at least a first pipeline section and a second pipeline section;
monitoring a first pressure within the first pipeline section with a first pressure gauge;
monitoring a second pressure within the second pipeline section with a second pressure gauge;
communicating the first and second pressures to a control system in communication with the first and second pressure gauges;
communicating a command signal from the control system to an actuation mechanism of at least one of the one or more adjustable restriction orifices when at least one of the first and second pressures exceeds a predetermined pressure threshold;
and
adjusting a size of the at least one of the one or more adjustable restriction orifices based on the command signal and thereby altering the first or second pressures within the pipeline.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Systems and methods of preventing hydrate formation in gas pipelines

Life of this patent

Systems and methods of preventing hydrate formation in gas pipelines

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims15