Pipeline arrangement for utilizing a gas comprising biomethane
AssigneeIogen Corporation
InventorPatrick J Foody
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Embodiments of the invention provide a process in which a gas comprising biomethane having a heating value of about 350-950 BTU/cubic foot is introduced to a pipeline system at a combination point that is downstream of natural gas in the pipeline system having a heating value of at least about 950 BTU/cubic foot. This produces a mixed gas downstream of the combination point. At least a portion of the mixed gas downstream of the combination point is withdrawn for use by a user that combusts the mixed gas to generate heat and/or electricity. A corresponding amount of natural gas is withdrawn at an upstream location for use as a transportation fuel, a fuel intermediate or as a feedstock for producing a fuel. The process can enable fuel credit generation.
Claims14
A process for producing a transportation fuel comprising:
- (i) providing a gas comprising biomethane produced by anaerobic digestion that has a heating value of 350-925 BTU/cubic foot;
- (ii) combining a first amount of the gas comprising biomethane having the heating value of 350-925 BTU/cubic foot with a second amount of natural gas having a heating value of at least 950 BTU/cubic foot, said combining occurring at a combination point in a pipeline system to produce a mixed gas downstream of the combination point;
- (iii) measuring a value representing energy content and a value representing a volume of flow of the gas comprising biomethane in step (ii);
- (iv) from the values measured in step (iii), calculating a value representing energy delivered for the gas comprising biomethane in one or more time periods and recording a calculated value or values representing the energy delivered;
- (v) withdrawing or causing the withdrawal of a third amount of natural gas from the pipeline system, said third amount of withdrawn natural gas being withdrawn at one or more locations in the pipeline system that are upstream of said combination point, wherein the withdrawn natural gas stream or streams have an average heating value that is greater than the gas comprising biomethane by at least 25 BTU/cubic foot;
- (vi) measuring or causing a measurement of the volume of flow of the withdrawn natural gas at each withdrawal location in step (v), wherein a value representing the volume of flow is recorded for the withdrawn natural gas at each withdrawal location, and the energy delivered for the third amount of withdrawn natural gas is at least substantially equal to the energy delivered for the gas comprising biomethane in step (iv);
- (vii) using or causing the use of the withdrawn natural gas measured in step (vi) as a transportation fuel, or as a fuel intermediate or a feedstock to produce a transportation fuel;
- and
- (viii) generating or causing the generation of a fuel credit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.