Abstract: Bulk storage of natural gas or methane is facilitated by absorbing and storing the gas in a liquefied medium through the interaction of moderate pressure, low temperature and a solvent medium. Systems and processes are provided that facilitate the absorption of natural gas or methane into a liquid or liquid vapor medium for storage and transport, and back into a gas for delivery to market. In a preferred embodiment, the absorptive properties of ethane, propane and butane under moderate conditions of temperature and pressure (associated with a novel mixing process) are utilized to store natural gas or methane at more efficient levels of compressed volume ratio than are attainable with natural gas alone under similar holding conditions. The preferred mixing process efficiently combines natural gas or methane with a solvent medium such as liquid ethane, propane, butane, or other suitable fluid, to form a concentrated liquid or liquid vapor mixture suited for storage and transport.

Abstract: Bulk storage of natural gas or methane is facilitated by absorbing and storing the gas in a liquefied medium through the interaction of moderate pressure, low temperature and a solvent medium. Systems and processes are provided that facilitate the absorption of natural gas or methane into a liquid or liquid vapor medium for storage and transport, and back into a gas for delivery to market. In a preferred embodiment, the absorptive properties of ethane, propane and butane under moderate conditions of temperature and pressure (associated with a novel mixing process) are utilized to store natural gas or methane at more efficient levels of compressed volume ratio than are attainable with natural gas alone under similar holding conditions. The preferred mixing process efficiently combines natural gas or methane with a solvent medium such as liquid ethane, propane, butane, or other suitable fluid, to form a concentrated liquid or liquid vapor mixture suited for storage and transport.

Abstract: Systems and processes that facilitate the absorption of natural gas or methane through the interaction of moderate pressure and low temperature into a liquid or liquid vapor medium for storage and transport, and back into a gas for delivery to market. In a preferred embodiment, the absorptive properties of ethane, propane and butane under moderate conditions of temperature and pressure (associated with a novel mixing process) are utilized to store natural gas or methane at more efficient levels of compressed volume ratio than are attainable with natural gas alone under similar holding conditions. The preferred mixing process efficiently combines natural gas or methane with a solvent medium such as liquid ethane, propane, butane, or other suitable fluid, to form a concentrated liquid or liquid vapor mixture suited for storage and transport. The solvent medium is preferably recycled in the conveyance vessel on unloading of the natural gas.

Abstract: A multi-vessel gas storage system and liquid displacement shuttle system that utilizes a liquid-piston shuttled to alternate reservoirs and tank banks to evacuate stored gas or other fluids from storage vessels. Preferably, the gas storage and fluid displacement shuttle system includes multiple pressure storage vessels or tanks arranged in tank banks that are preferably coupled in parallel at one end to a high pressure gas manifold to exhaust the stored gas or other fluids from the vessels and coupled in parallel at another end to separate fluid shuttle circuits. The fluid shuttle circuits include cross-piped fluid fill and drain manifolds that are fluidly linked through interposing reservoirs and pumps. In operation, the stored gas or other fluids are evacuated from the storage vessels by shuttling the volume of displacement liquid between alternating banks of storage tanks and reservoirs with alternating pumps.