Abstract: A method to extract and process bitumen from oil sands involves processing in a pulse enhanced fluidized bed steam reactor, cracking the heavy hydrocarbon fractions, producing hydrogen in situ within the reactor and hydrogenating the cracked fractions using the natural bifunctional catalyst present in the oil sands. This method produces inert oil sands for soil rehabilitation and an upgraded oil stream.

Abstract: A method of conditioning natural gas in preparation for storage, involves taking an existing stream of continuously flowing natural gas flowing through a gas line (12) on its way to end users and diverting a portion of the stream of continuously flowing natural gas to a storage facility through a storage diversion line (22). The pressure of the natural gas is lowered, as is the temperature by the Joule-Thompson effect. The natural gas is passed in a single pass through a series of heat exchangers (18, 28,30, 32) prior to resuming flow through the gas line (12) at the lowered pressure. The diverted natural gas is liquefied in preparation for storage by effecting a heat exchange with the natural gas.

Abstract: A method to recover natural gas liquids (NGLs) from natural gas streams at NGL recovery plants. The present disclosure relates to methods using liquid natural gas (LNG) as an external source of stored cold energy to reduce the energy and improve the operation of NGL distillation columns. More particularly, the present disclosure provides methods to efficiently and economically achieve higher recoveries of natural gas liquids at NGL recovery plants.

Abstract: A method for selective extraction of natural gas liquids from “rich” natural gas. The method involves interacting a rich natural gas stream with Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) by mixing Liquid Natural Gas into the rich natural gas stream to lower the temperature of the rich natural gas stream to a selected hydrocarbon dew point, whereby a selected hydrocarbon liquid carried in the rich natural gas stream is condensed.

Abstract: A method to pre-heat gas at gas Pressure Reducing Stations. A first step involve providing at least one electrical line heater having a flow path for passage of natural gas through electrical heating elements. A second step involves passing the high pressure cold natural gas stream along electrical heating elements and heating it up before de-pressurization. A third step involves the expansion of the high pressure heated gas in a enclosed vessel that houses a gas expander and power generator. The expansion of the gas generates shaft work which is converted into electrical power by the power generator and the expanded low pressure gas cools the power generator. This process results in the recovery of energy to replace the slipstream of natural that is presently used to pre-heat gas at Pressure Reduction Stations.

Abstract: A method of upgrading heavy oil in which the heavy oil is preheated to above a boiling point of water to remove water as steam and lighter fractions as vapours. The heavy oil passes downwardly through a series of sequential horizontal heat gradients in a temperature gradient reactor. A temperature of each sequential heat gradient progressively increases so that lighter fractions of the heavy oil vaporize with minimal cracking and heavier heavy oil fractions continue to fall by force of gravity downwards. As they pass through further sequential heat gradients of progressively increasing temperature, they tend to crack into lighter fractions in the presence of nascent hydrogen. Coke, formed from heavier heavy oil fractions generated and deposited on a fluidized catalytic bed a bottom of the temperature gradient reactor, is fluidized with superheated steam.

Abstract: A method of hydrogenation of heavy oil. A first step involves providing a continuous pipe reactor defining a serpentine flow path. A second step involves heating heavy oil to lower the viscosity of the heavy oil. A third step involves pumping a turbulent flow of heavy oil and hydrogen through the continuous pipe reactor to promote addition of hydrogen into the heavy oil. The method has improved mass transfer due to the continuous turbulent flow through the continuous pipe reactor.

Abstract: A method of increasing the storage capacity of a natural gas storage cavern involves the step of adding liquefied natural gas to gaseous natural gas in the natural gas storage cavern. The addition of liquefied natural gas serves to reduce the temperature and associated pressure of gaseous natural gas in the natural gas storage cavern, thereby increasing the capacity of the natural gas storage cavern.

Abstract: A method of managing the software architecture of a radio communication circuit is provided. The software architecture includes a radio communication software stack and at least one client application. The radio communication software stack includes a radio communication interrupt manager and at least one radio communication task. The client application includes at least one client task. The method includes interleaving, within the radio communication software stack, at least one client interrupt manager, included in the client application, and belonging to the group comprising: a first client interrupt manager of execution priority level that is higher than the at least one radio communication task and lower than the radio communication interrupt manager; and a second client interrupt manager of execution priority level that is higher than the at least one radio communication task and higher than the radio communication interrupt manager.

Abstract: A method to condense and recover carbon dioxide. A first step involve providing at more than one heat exchanger, with each heat exchanger having a first flow path for passage of a first fluid and a second flow path for passage of a second fluid. A second step involves passing a stream of very cold natural gas sequentially along the first flow path of each heat exchanger until it is heated for distribution and concurrently passing a gaseous stream rich in carbon dioxide sequentially along the second flow path of each heat exchanger, allowing a gaseous portion of the gaseous stream rich in carbon dioxide to pass to a next sequential heat exchanger and capturing in a collection vessel the condensed carbon dioxide.

Abstract: A method to increase gas mass flow loading rates to a gas storage cavern includes using liquid natural gas (LNG) to cool natural gas in a natural gas flow line upstream of a compressor used to compress gas for storage in to a gas storage cavern.

Abstract: Techniques for communicating between an embedded device and at least one remote database for a wide variety of applications, including human machine interface and supervisory control and data acquisition and B2B applications. An application program interface interfaces an application program seeking access to a predetermined database and which operates on an operating system not operating a database driver program. A parser translates communications with the application program interface into and from commands and formatted data of an operating system independent form. A protocol stack formats the commands and formatted data into header formatted communications signals to accord with a predetermined protocol. Another protocol stack receives the header formatted communications signals and removes header data from the header formatted communications signals for generating database communications signals.

Abstract: A method to extract and process bitumen from oil sands involves processing in a pulse enhanced fluidised bed steam reactor, cracking the heavy hydrocarbon fractions, producing hydrogen in situ within the reactor and hydrogenating the cracked fractions using the natural bifunctional catalyst present in the oil sands. This method produces inert oil sands for soil rehabilitation and an upgraded oil stream.

Abstract: A method to increase the storage capacity of a natural gas storage cavern includes effecting a heat exchange in a heat exchanger between a stream of coolant from a refrigeration or cooling plant and a natural gas stream to cool the natural gas stream prior to injecting the natural gas stream into the natural gas storage cavern.

Abstract: Techniques for communicating between an embedded device and remote database(s) for a wide variety of applications, including human machine interface, supervisory control, data acquisition, and B2B applications. An application program interface (API), interfacing an application program seeking access to a predetermined database, operates on an operating system (OS) not operating a database driver program. A parser translates communications with the API into and from commands and formatted data of an OS independent form. A protocol stack formats the commands and formatted data into header formatted communications signals to accord with a predetermined protocol. Another protocol stack receives the header formatted communications signals, removes header data, and generates database communications signals. Another parser receives the database communications signals and generates and communicates a plurality of database formatted SQL commands.

Abstract: A method for re-gasification of liquid natural gas involves positioning a storage vessel (22) for liquid natural gas at a facility (12) that has at least one refrigeration unit (48) with circulating fluid heat transfer medium. A second step involves providing at least one heat exchanger (24). A heat exchange takes place during circulation through the heat exchanger between the liquid natural gas and the circulating fluid heat transfer medium which raises the temperature of the liquid natural gas changing it from a liquid phase to a gaseous phase in preparation for consumption and which lowers the temperature of the circulating fluid heat transfer medium in preparation for use in the at least one refrigeration unit (48).

Abstract: A method to condense and recover carbon dioxide. A first step involve providing at more than one heat exchanger, with each heat exchanger having a first flow path for passage of a first fluid and a second flow path for passage of a second fluid. A second step involves passing a stream of very cold natural gas sequentially along the first flow path of each heat exchanger until it is heated for distribution and concurrently passing a gaseous stream rich in carbon dioxide sequentially along the second flow path of each heat exchanger, allowing a gaseous portion of the gaseous stream rich in carbon dioxide to pass to a next sequential heat exchanger and capturing in a collection vessel the condensed carbon dioxide.

Abstract: A method of increasing the storage capacity of a natural gas storage cavern, involves the step of adding liquefied natural gas to gaseous natural gas in the natural gas storage caverns. The addition of liquefied natural gas serves to reduce the temperature and associated pressure of gaseous natural gas in the natural gas storage cavern, thereby increasing the capacity of the natural gas storage cavern.

Abstract: A method to pre-heat gas at gas Pressure Reducing Stations. A first step involve providing at least one electrical line heater having a flow path for passage of natural gas through electrical heating elements. A second step involves passing the high pressure cold natural gas stream along electrical heating elements and heating it up before de-pressurization. A third step involves the expansion of the high pressure heated gas in a enclosed vessel that houses a gas expander and power generator. The expansion of the gas generates shaft work which is converted into electrical power by the power generator and the expanded low pressure gas cools the power generator. This process results in the recovery of energy to replace the slipstream of natural that is presently used to pre-heat gas at Pressure Reduction Stations.

Abstract: A method of managing the software architecture of a radio communication circuit is provided. The software architecture includes a radio communication software stack and at least one client application. The radio communication software stack includes a radio communication interrupt manager and at least one radio communication task. The client application includes at least one client task. The method includes interleaving, within the radio communication software stack, at least one client interrupt manager, included in the client application, and belonging to the group comprising: a first client interrupt manager of execution priority level that is higher than the at least one radio communication task and lower than the radio communication interrupt manager; and a second client interrupt manager of execution priority level that is higher than the at least one radio communication task and higher than the radio communication interrupt manager.