Method and system for reducing oxidation of glycol in fluid handling systems
AssigneeChevron U.S.A. Inc.
InventorAndrew Mark Titley
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed are methods and systems for reducing the risk of oxidation of hydrate inhibitors such as monoethylene glycol used to prevent the formation of hydrates in fluid handling systems including flow lines and pipelines. A hydrate inhibitor storage tank in fluid communication with the fluid handling system is used to hold a volume of liquid hydrate inhibitor, a volume of blanket gas and a layer of a liquid, nonflammable at operating conditions, therebetween. The liquid is immiscible with glycol.
Claims20
A method for reducing risk of oxidation of glycol in fluid handling systems using glycol as a hydrate inhibitor, comprising:
- a. providing a tank in fluid communication with the fluid handling system for storing a hydrate inhibitor comprising glycol;
- and
- b. providing a layer of a liquid in direct contact with a surface of the hydrate inhibitor in the tank wherein the liquid is nonflammable at operating conditions and is immiscible with glycol.
A system comprising:
- a. a tank in fluid communication with a fluid handling system for storing a volume of hydrate inhibitor comprising glycol;
- b. a layer of liquid in direct contact with the volume of hydrate inhibitor in the tank wherein the liquid is nonflammable at operating conditions and is immiscible with glycol;
- c. a layer of blanket gas in direct contact with the layer of liquid;
- d. a blanket gas inlet conduit connecting the layer of blanket gas with a source of the blanket gas;
- e. a blanket gas inlet valve in the blanket gas inlet conduit for controlling introduction of blanket gas into the tank as the volume of hydrate inhibitor in the tank decreases;
- f. a blanket gas outlet conduit connecting the layer of blanket gas with a vent;
- and
- g. a blanket gas outlet valve in the blanket gas outlet conduit for controlling exit of blanket gas from the tank as the volume of hydrate inhibitor in the tank increases.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.