Process of manufacturing pressurized liquid natural gas containing heavy hydrocarbons

A method of transporting a hydrocarbon composition rich in at least one of C1 or C2, comprising:

• (a) admixing C2+ hydrocarbons with the hydrocarbon composition, said mixture containing C6+ components;
• (b) removing from the mixture one or more of C6+ components and leaving in the mixture at least one C6+ component;
• and
• (c) liquefying the mixture to produce a pressurized liquid at a temperature above −112° C. (−170° F.), said liquid being substantially free of crystallized C6+ components;
• and
• (d) transporting the liquid at a temperature above −112° C. (−170° F.) and a pressure sufficient for the liquid to be at or below its bubble point temperature.

A method of treating a pressurized methane-rich feedstock for transport, comprising the steps of:

• (a) adding to the methane-rich feedstock at least one hydrocarbon having a molecular weight heavier than that of C5;
• (b) removing from the feedstock one or more hydrocarbon components having a molecular weight heavier than that of C5 leaving in the feedstock at least one component having a molecular weight heavier than C5;
• and
• (c) liquefying the feedstock, said liquefied feedstock having a temperature above −112° C. and a pressure sufficient for the liquid to be at or below its bubble point temperature, the liquid feedstock being substantially free of crystallized hydrocarbons.

A process of manufacturing a pressurized multi-component liquid, comprising:

• (a) providing a multi-component fluid stream comprising one or more C6+ components and at least one component comprising at least one of C1, C2, C3, C4, or C5;
• (b) crystallizing one or more of the C6+ components and leaving substantially un-crystallized one or more C6+ components;
• (c) separating the multi-component stream into a first stream lean in the crystallizable C6+ components and a second stream enriched in the crystallizable C6+ components;
• and
• (d) liquefying the first stream to a selected temperature and pressure.

A process for manufacturing a liquefied natural gas stream, comprising:

• (a) providing a natural gas stream at a pressure above at least 1,400 kPa;
• (b) removing from the natural gas stream at least one of water or hydrocarbon condensate;
• (c) selectively removing from the gas stream at least one C6+ component that would crystallize at a pre-selected temperature and pressure, said pre-selected temperature being above −112° C. and the pressure being approximately the pressure of the anticipated pressurized liquid product;
• and
• (d) liquefying the gas stream to produce a pressurized liquid product having a temperature above −112° C. and a pressure at or below the bubble point temperature.

The process for manufacturing a liquefied natural gas stream, comprising:

• (a) providing a natural gas stream at a pressure above at least 1,400 kPa;
• (b) removing from the natural stream at least one of water, oil, or hydrocarbon condensate;
• (c) selectively removing from the gas stream C5+ components that would freeze at a pre-selected temperature and pressure;
• (d) liquefying at least a portion of the gas stream;
• (e) passing at least a portion of the liquefied stream to a selective extraction system, the extraction system producing a first stream lean crystallized C5+ components and a second stream enriched in C5+ components;
• and
• (f) passing the first stream lean in crystallized C5+ components to the liquefaction system for liquefaction to produce a pressurized liquid stream having a temperature above −112° C. and a pressure at or below the bubble point temperature.

The process for manufacturing a liquefied natural gas stream, comprising:

• (a) providing a natural gas stream at a pressure above at least 1,400 kPa;
• (b) removing from the natural stream at least one of water, oil, or hydrocarbon condensate;
• (c) passing the natural gas stream to a first selective extraction system, the selective extraction system producing a first stream lean in crystallized C5+ components and a second stream enriched in C5+ components;
• (d) passing at least a portion of the second stream to a second selective extraction system;
• (e) passing at least a portion of the first stream to liquefaction system;
• (f) withdrawing from the liquefaction system a first liquid stream and passing the first liquid stream to the second selective extraction system;
• the second selective extraction system producing a third stream lean in crystallized C5+ components and a fourth stream enriched in C5+ components;
• and
• (g) passing the third stream to the liquefaction system, the liquefaction system producing a pressurized liquid stream having a temperature above −112° C. and a pressure at or below the bubble point temperature.

The process for manufacturing a liquefied natural gas stream, comprising:

• (a) providing a natural gas stream at a pressure above at least 1,400 kPa;
• (b) removing from the natural stream at least one of water, oil, or hydrocarbon condensate;
• (c) passing the natural gas stream to a first selective extraction system, the selective extraction system producing a first stream lean in crystallized C5+ components and a second stream enriched in C5+ components;
• (d) passing at least a portion of the second stream to a second selective extraction system;
• (e) passing at least a portion of the first stream to liquefaction system;
• (f) withdrawing from the liquefaction system a first liquid stream and passing the first liquid stream to the second selective extraction system;
• the second selective extraction system producing a third stream lean in crystallized C5+ components and a fourth stream enriched in C5+ components;
• and
• (g) passing the third stream to the liquefaction system, the liquefaction system producing a pressurized liquid stream having a temperature above −112° C. and a pressure at or below the bubble point temperature.

A process for transporting natural gas, comprising:

• (a) providing a pressured natural gas having a pressure above 1,400 kPa., said natural gas comprising C1 as a predominate component and C6+ components;
• (b) removing from the natural gas one or more of the C6+ components and leaving in the natural gas at least one C6+ component;
• and
• (c) liquefying the multi-component stream to produce a pressurized liquid substantially free of crystallized C6+ components;
• and
• (d) passing the pressurized liquid to a container and transporting the liquid in the container at a temperature above −112° C.