Patents by Inventor David Bertil Runbalk

David Bertil Runbalk has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8037694
    Abstract: A floating system for liquefying natural gas comprising a vessel provided with a plant for liquefying natural gas having an inlet for natural gas and an outlet for liquefied natural gas, a feed supply system for supplying natural gas to the inlet of the plant, one or more storage tanks for storing liquefied natural gas, and an off-loading system for transporting liquefied natural gas between the storage tank(s) and a tanker, which floating system further comprises a vaporization system having an inlet for liquefied gas and an outlet for vapor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventor: David Bertil Runbalk
  • Publication number: 20110226007
    Abstract: A floating system for liquefying natural gas comprising a vessel provided with a plant for liquefying natural gas having an inlet for natural gas and an outlet for liquefied natural gas, a feed supply system for supplying natural gas to the inlet of the plant, one or more storage tanks for storing liquefied natural gas, and an off-loading system for transporting liquefied natural gas between the storage tank(s) and a tanker, which floating system further comprises a vaporization system having an inlet for liquefied gas and an outlet for vapour.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2011
    Publication date: September 22, 2011
    Applicant: SHELL OIL COMPANY
    Inventor: David Bertil Runbalk
  • Publication number: 20100319396
    Abstract: A method of cooling at least two hydrocarbon streams such as natural gas, the method at least comprising the steps of: (a) providing at least first and second hydrocarbon streams (20, 20a); (b) passing the first hydrocarbon stream (20) through one or more first heat exchangers (12, 14) to provide a first cooled hydrocarbon stream (30); and (c) passing the second hydrocarbon stream (20a) through one or more second heat exchangers (12a, 14a) to provide a second cooled hydrocarbon stream (30a); wherein a refrigerant circuit (100) provides cooling to the first heat exchanger (s) (12, 14) and the second heat exchanger (s) (12a, 14a).
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2007
    Publication date: December 23, 2010
    Inventors: Willem Dam, Ming Teck Kong, David Bertil Runbalk
  • Publication number: 20100263406
    Abstract: Method of driving two or more refrigerant compressors in a hydrocarbon cooling process. In such a hydrocarbon cooling process a hydrocarbon feed stream (10) may be passed against partly evaporating refrigerant streams. The at least partly evaporated refrigerant streams (35a, 37a) are compressed through refrigerant compressors (34, 36). One or more gas turbines (54) are driven to provide electrical power (56) and hot gas. The hot gas (57) is passed through one or more steam heat exchangers (58) to provide steam power, which is used to drive one or more steam turbines (82) to drive at least one of the refrigerant compressors (34). The electrical power is used to drive (76) at least another one of the refrigerant compressors (36).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2008
    Publication date: October 21, 2010
    Inventors: Willem Dam, Peter Marie Paulus, Johan Jan Barend Pek, David Bertil Runbalk, Thor Frette
  • Publication number: 20100206573
    Abstract: A method of cooling a gaseous hydrocarbon stream (10) such as natural gas comprising at least the steps of: (a) sourcing the gaseous hydrocarbon stream (10) in an underwater pipeline (12) to a hydrocarbon facility at sea (18); (b) cooling the gaseous hydrocarbon stream (10) against one or more cooling streams (40) to remove heat from the gaseous hydrocarbon stream (10), and so provide a cooler hydrocarbon stream (20) and one or more warmer cooling streams (30); (c) using the heat of at least one warmer cooling stream (30) to heat the gaseous hydrocarbon stream (10) being sourced in the pipeline (12).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2008
    Publication date: August 19, 2010
    Inventors: Peter Marie Paulus, David Bertil Runbalk
  • Publication number: 20100000251
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of liquefying a hydrocarbon stream such as natural gas, the method at least comprising the steps of: (a) providing a hydrocarbon stream (10) at a first location (2), wherein the first location is situated onshore; (b) treating the hydrocarbon stream (10) in the first location (2) thereby obtaining a treated hydrocarbon stream (20); (c) transporting the treated hydrocarbon stream (20) via a pipeline (4) over a distance of at least 2 km to a second location (3), wherein the second location is situated off-shore; (d), liquefying the treated, hydrocarbon stream (20) at the second location (3) thereby obtaining liquefied hydrocarbon product (50) at atmospheric pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2007
    Publication date: January 7, 2010
    Inventors: Michiel Gijsbert Van Aken, Marcus Johannes Antonius Van Dongen, Peter Marie Paulus, Johan Jan Barend Pek, David Bertil Runbalk
  • Publication number: 20090229276
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for the regasification of liquefied natural gas, the method at least comprising the steps of: a) removing liquefied natural gas (10) from a storage tank (2) using a first pump unit (3); b) passing the removed liquefied natural gas (20) to and feeding it into a second pump unit (4) at an inlet pressure; c) increasing the pressure of the liquefied natural gas in the second pump unit (4) thereby obtaining pressurized liquefied natural gas (50); d) vaporizing the pressurized liquefied natural gas (50) thereby obtaining gaseous natural gas (60); wherein the second pump unit (4) discharges the pressurized liquefied natural gas (50) at a pre-selected pressure value, regardless of the inlet pressure at the second pump unit (4).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2007
    Publication date: September 17, 2009
    Inventors: Marc Alexander Rieder, David Bertil Runbalk, Alexander Emanuel Maria Straver
  • Publication number: 20090205365
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of natural gas, the method at least comprising the steps of: (a) providing a natural gas stream (10) at a first location (2); (b) treating the natural gas stream (10) in the first location (2) thereby obtaining a treated natural gas stream (20), wherein the treated natural gas stream comprises in the range of from 70 to 100 mole % of methane; (c) transporting the treated natural gas stream (20) via a pipeline (4) over a distance of at least 2 km to a second location (3); (d) liquefying the treated natural gas stream (20) at the second location (3) thereby obtaining liquefied hydrocarbon product (50) at atmospheric pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2007
    Publication date: August 20, 2009
    Inventors: Michiel Gijsbert Van Aken, Marcus Johannes Antonius Van Dongen, Peter Marie Paulus, Johan Jan Barend Pek, David Bertil Runbalk
  • Patent number: 7568363
    Abstract: A process for treating a crude containing natural gas comprising supplying the crude to a stabilization unit to obtain a gaseous stream and crude oil; supplying a compressed, gaseous stream at a low temperature to the bottom of a first column; partly condensing the first gaseous overhead stream, returning the liquid phase to the first column and supplying the methane-rich stream to a liquefaction plant; supplying an expanded bottom stream at a low temperature to the top of a second column; removing from the top of the second column a second gaseous overhead stream, and removing from the bottom of the second column a liquid bottom stream; vaporizing part of the bottom stream and introducing the vapor into the bottom of the second column; and introducing the remainder of the bottom stream into a crude oil stream at an appropriate point in or upstream of the stabilization unit, wherein the amount of heat removed from the first gaseous overhead stream is so adjusted that the concentration of C5+ in the first gase
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2009
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventor: David Bertil Runbalk
  • Patent number: 7309417
    Abstract: A process for treating a crude containing natural gas comprising supplying the crude to a stabilization unit to obtain a gaseous stream and crude oil; supplying a compressed, gaseous stream at a low temperature to the bottom of a first column; partly condensing the first gaseous overhead stream, returning the liquid phase to the first column and supplying the methane-rich stream to a liquefaction plant; supplying an expanded bottom stream at a low temperature to the top of a second column; removing from the top of the second column second gaseous overhead stream, and removing from the bottom of the second column a liquid bottom stream; vaporizing part of the bottom stream and introducing the vapor into the bottom of the second column; and introducing the remainder of the bottom stream into a crude oil stream at an appropriate point in or upstream of the stabilization unit, wherein the amount of heat removed from the first gaseous overhead stream is so adjusted that the concentration of C5+ in the first gaseou
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2007
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventor: David Bertil Runbalk
  • Publication number: 20040238412
    Abstract: A process for treating a crude containing natural gas comprising supplying the crude to a stabilization unit to obtain a gaseous stream and crude oil; supplying a compressed, gaseous stream at a low temperature to the bottom of a first column; partly condensing the first gaseous overhead stream, returning the liquid phase to the first column and supplying the methane-rich stream to a liquefaction plant; supplying an expanded bottom stream at a low temperature to the top of a second column; removing from the top of the second column second gaseous overhead stream, and removing from the bottom of the second column a liquid bottom stream; vaporizing part of the bottom stream and introducing the vapour into the bottom of the second column; and introducing the remainder of the bottom stream into a crude oil stream at an appropriate point in or upstream of the stabilization unit, wherein the amount of heat removed from the first gaseous overhead stream is so adjusted that the concentration of C5+ in the first
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2004
    Publication date: December 2, 2004
    Inventor: David Bertil Runbalk
  • Patent number: 6658891
    Abstract: Plant for liquefying natural gas comprising a main heat exchanger in which the natural gas is liquefied by means of indirect heat exchange with evaporating refrigerant, and a refrigerant circuit in which evaporated refrigerant is compressed and liquefied to produce liquid refrigerant that is used in the main heat exchanger, wherein the refrigerant circuit includes a compressor train consisting of at least one compressor driven by an electric motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2003
    Assignee: Shell Research Limited
    Inventors: Duncan Peter Michael Reijnen, David Bertil Runbalk
  • Publication number: 20020170312
    Abstract: Plant (1) for liquefying natural gas comprising a main heat exchanger (10) in which the natural gas (5) is liquefied by means of indirect heat exchange with evaporating refrigerant, and a refrigerant circuit (20) in which evaporated refrigerant is compressed (23a, 23b) and liquefied to produce liquid refrigerant that is used in the main heat exchanger (10), wherein the refrigerant circuit (20) includes a compressor train (23a, 23b) consisting of at least one compressor (65a-67b) driven by an electric motor (83a, 83b).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2002
    Publication date: November 21, 2002
    Inventors: Duncan Peter Michael Reijnen, David Bertil Runbalk