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US 7,678,951 B2Granted
Method for adjusting the high heating value of gas in the LNG chain
AssigneeTotal SA
InventorDenis Chretien
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The subject of the invention is a method for treating a natural gas containing ethane, comprising the following stages: (a) extraction of at least one part of the ethane from the natural gas; (b) reforming of at least one part of the extracted ethane into a synthesis gas; (c) methanation of the synthesis gas into a methane-rich gas; and (d) mixing of the methane-rich gas with the natural gas. Installation for implementing this method.
Claims10
A method for treating a natural gas comprising ethane, the method comprising:
- (a) extracting at least one part of the ethane from the natural gas by:
- separating heavy components of the natural gas into a light fraction and a fraction of heavier components comprising ethane and Liquefied Petroleum Gases (LPGs);
- and
- fractionating the heavier components into at least one stream comprising ethane and at least one stream comprising LPGs;
- (b) reforming at least one part of the extracted ethane into a synthesis gas;
- (c) performing methanation of the synthesis gas into a methane-rich gas;
- and
- (d) mixing the methane-rich gas with the natural gas.
5 more elements
A method for liquefying a natural gas comprising ethane, the method comprising:
- performing deacidification and drying of the natural gas;
- precooling the deacidified and dried natural gas;
- extracting at least one part of the ethane from the precooled natural gas to produce a high-ethane fraction and a low-ethane fraction;
- cooling and liquefying the low-ethane fraction;
- separating the high-ethane fraction into a high-ethane cut and a high-propane, butane and condensates cut;
- reforming at least one part of the high-ethane cut into a synthesis gas;
- performing methanation of the synthesis gas into a methane-rich gas;
- and
- mixing the methane-rich gas with the natural gas before deacidification and drying.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.