Patents by Inventor Eric T. Cole

Eric T. Cole 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: 6223557
    Abstract: A process is disclosed to remove at least one high volatility component, such as nitrogen, from a pressurized natural gas to produce pressurized liquefied natural gas that is lean in nitrogen and has a temperature above about −112° C. (−170° F.). A pressurized feed natural gas containing nitrogen is expanded and passed to a fractionation column. The fractionation column produces a first vapor stream that has enhanced nitrogen content and a first liquid stream. The vapor stream is cooled to produce a vapor phase and a liquid phase. The vapor and liquid phases are then phase separated to produce a second vapor stream and a second liquid stream. The second liquid stream is returned to the fractionation column as reflux. The second vapor stream is preferably used to cool the incoming feed stream. The first liquid stream is removed from the fractionation system as a product stream lean in nitrogen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2001
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventor: Eric T. Cole
  • Patent number: 6199403
    Abstract: A process is disclosed to remove a high-volatility component, such as nitrogen, from a feed stream rich in methane to produce a product substantially free of the high-volatility component. The feed stream is expanded and fed to a phase separator which produces a vapor stream and a liquid stream. The vapor stream is enriched in the volatile component. The liquid stream, which is lean in the volatile component and rich in methane, is pumped to a higher pressure and heated to produce a pressurized liquefied product stream having a pressure sufficient for the product stream to be at or below its bubble point and having a temperature above about −112° C. (−170° F.).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2001
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company
    Inventors: Eric T. Cole, Brandon T. Stone
  • Patent number: 6023942
    Abstract: This invention relates to a process for liquefying a gas stream rich in methane and having a pressure above about 3103 kPa (450 psia). The gas stream is expanded to a lower pressure to produce a gas phase and a liquid product having a temperature above about -112.degree. C. (-170.degree. F.) and a pressure sufficient for the liquid product to be at or below its bubble point. The gas phase and the liquid product are then phase separated in a suitable separator, and the liquid product is introduced to a storage means for storage at a temperature above about -112.degree. C. (-170.degree. F.).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2000
    Assignee: Exxon Production Research Company
    Inventors: Eugene R. Thomas, Ronald R. Bowen, Eric T. Cole, Edward L. Kimble
  • Patent number: 6016665
    Abstract: This invention relates to a process for liquefying a pressurized gas stream rich in methane in which the liquefication of the gas stream occurs in a heat exchanger being cooled by a cascade refrigeration system to produce a methane-rich liquid product having a temperature above about -112.degree. C. (-170.degree. F.). In this process, a pressurized gas stream is introduced into heat exchange contact with a first refrigerant cycle comprising at least one refrigeration stage whereby the temperature of the gas stream is reduced by heat exchange with a first portion of a first refrigerant to produce a cooled gas stream. The cooled gas stream is then introduced into heat exchange contact with a second refrigerant cycle comprising at least one refrigeration stage whereby the temperature of the cooled gas stream is further reduced by heat exchange with a second refrigerant to produce a liquefied methane-rich stream having a temperature above about -112.degree. C. (-170.degree. F.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2000
    Assignee: Exxon Production Research Company
    Inventors: Eric T. Cole, Ronald R. Bowen
  • Patent number: 5956971
    Abstract: This invention relates to a process for producing pressurized liquid rich in methane from a multi-component feed stream containing methane and a freezable component having a relative volatility less than that of methane. The multi-component feed stream is introduced into a separation system having a freezing section operating at a pressure above about 1,380 kPa (200 psia) and under solids forming conditions for the freezable component and a distillation section positioned below the freezing section. The separation system produces a vapor stream rich in methane and a liquid stream rich in the freezable component. At least a portion of the vapor stream is cooled to produce a liquefied stream rich in methane having a temperature above about -112.degree. C. (-170.degree. F.) and a pressure sufficient for the liquid product to be at or below its bubble point. A first portion of the liquefied stream is returned to the separation system to provide refrigeration to the separation system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 28, 1999
    Assignee: Exxon Production Research Company
    Inventors: Eric T. Cole, Eugene R. Thomas, Ronald R. Bowen
  • Patent number: 5950453
    Abstract: This invention relates to a process for liquefying a pressurized gas stream rich in methane in which the liquefication of the gas stream occurs in a heat exchanger being cooled by a closed-loop multi-component refrigeration system to produce a methane-rich liquid product having a temperature above about -112.degree. C. (-170.degree. F.) and a pressure sufficient for the liquid product to be at or below its bubble point. The liquefied gas product is then introduced to a storage means at a temperature above about -112.degree. C. (-170.degree. F.).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 14, 1999
    Assignee: Exxon Production Research Company
    Inventors: Ronald R. Bowen, Eric T. Cole, Edward L. Kimble, Eugene R. Thomas, Lonny R. Kelley