Dehydrating Patents (Class 62/633)
  • Patent number: 11885210
    Abstract: A water separation system includes a production control valve fluidly connected to a production tubing and positioned at an uphole end of the production tubing at a well head of a well site, a production fluid pathway between the production control valve and a water separator, an injection control valve fluidly connected to an injection tubing and positioned at an uphole end of the injection tubing at the well head, and an injection fluid pathway between the injection control valve and the water separator. The water separator is positioned at the well site and is fluidly connected to the production fluid pathway and the injection fluid pathway. The water separator separates water from the production fluid and directs the separated water to the injection fluid pathway. An output fluid pathway fluidly connects to the water separator to direct the production fluid out of the water separator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Mohamed Ahmed Soliman, Azeb M. Qahtani
  • Patent number: 11414966
    Abstract: A lift gas treatment system and method for treating lift gas by a high-pressure separation of heavy hydrocarbons and water from the gas stream to be used as lift gas. The system and method first remove water from the lift gas in a first separator. The lift gas is then cooled in a pair of heat exchangers. A second separator separates natural gas liquids (NGLs) from the lift gas. The NGLs are passed through a valve to reduce the temperature and passed to the second heat exchanger. The lift gas is passed through the first heat exchanger to raise the temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: MONEYHUN EQUIPMENT SALES & SERVICE CO., INC.
    Inventors: David Moneyhun, Bernie Claydon, Evan Visser
  • Patent number: 10995259
    Abstract: A method of inhibiting gas hydrate formation in downhole fluids, including providing a downhole fluid and mixing the downhole fluid with an aqueous gas thermodynamic hydrate inhibitor formulation to form a downhole fluid mixture. A concentration of lithium chloride in the downhole fluid mixture is at least about 1 wt % and a density of the downhole fluid mixture is in a range of about 1.08 to 1.3 gm/cm3 at a downhole temperature of about 50° F. or less and a downhole differential pressure of about 500 psi or higher. An aqueous gas thermodynamic hydrate inhibitor formulation and oil and gas well drilling system including such a formulation are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Chesnee Lae Davis, Jessica Paola Ramirez Angulo, Jay Paul Deville
  • Patent number: 10668480
    Abstract: Systems and methods for the use of highly reactive hydrated lime (HRH) in circulating dry scrubbers (CDS) to remove sulfur dioxide (SO2) and other acid gases from the flue gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: Mississippi Lime Company
    Inventors: Curtiss Biehn, Randy Griffard, Mark Degenova, Eric Van Rens
  • Patent number: 7806965
    Abstract: Produced natural gas containing carbon dioxide is dehydrated and chilled to liquefy the carbon dioxide and then fractionated to produce a waste stream of liquid carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide. Natural gas liquids may be first separated and removed before fractionation. After fractionation, the waste stream is pressurized and transmitted to a remote injection well for injection either for disposal of the waste stream and preferably to urge hydrocarbons toward the producing well. A hydrocarbon stream proceeds from fractionation to a methanol absorber system which removes carbon dioxide gas. The hydrocarbon stream is thereafter separated into at least hydrocarbon gas, nitrogen and helium. Some of the nitrogen is reintroduced into a fractionation tower to enhance the recovery of hydrocarbons. A methanol recovery system is provided to recover and reuse the methanol. The hydrocarbons are sold as natural gas and the helium is recovered and sold. Excess nitrogen is vented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2010
    Inventor: Donald Leo Stinson
  • Patent number: 7152431
    Abstract: A process for removing contaminants from a natural gas feed stream including water and sour species is provided, which process comprises the steps of cooling the natural gas feed stream in a first vessel (12) to a first operating temperature at which hydrates are formed and removing from the first vessel (12) a stream of dehydrated gas (34); and cooling the dehydrated gas in a second vessel (14) to a second operating temperature at which solids of the sour species are formed or at which the sour species dissolve in a liquid and removing from the second vessel (14) a stream of dehydrated sweetened gas (62).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2006
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventors: Robert Amin, Casper Krijno Groothuis
  • Patent number: 6793712
    Abstract: A pretreatment system for natural gas liquefaction employing heat integration for more efficient and effective natural gas temperature control. The pretreatment system expands the natural gas prior to acid gas removal. After acid gas removal, the natural gas is cooled by indirect heat exchange with the expanded natural gas located upstream of the acid gas removal system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: ConocoPhillips Company
    Inventor: Wesley R. Qualls
  • Patent number: 6553784
    Abstract: The present invention related to an apparatus for efficient and cost-effective comprehensive processing of natural gas, including the removal of moisture and the recovery of the higher hydrocarbons components (C2+). The said apparatus comprises the following major components: an integrated natural gas processor with a dehydration section and a higher hydrocarbons absorption section; a heat transport medium cooler; an absorbent cooler; a fractional distiller for separating the light oil from the heavy oil absorbent; an inhibitor regenerator; and a refrigeration unit. The present invention provides a low-cost natural gas comprehensive processor that is universally applicable to both terrestrial and off-shore natural gas exploitation. The said apparatus also provides an efficient and cost-effective natural gas dehydrator when the dehydration section is used independently without incorporating the absorption section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2003
    Inventor: Yingzhong Lu
  • Patent number: 6301928
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for preventing the decrease of the efficiency of heat transfer, caused by frost formation, in a precooler of an air breathing engine. In the precooler, the heat exchanger tube is provided. Into the heat exchanger tube, liquid hydrogen serving as a coolant is supplied. The main air flow is sent to the precooler via the intake duct, and the main air flow which is cooled down there, is then sent to a compressor of the air breathing engine. Via the nozzle provided in the middle of the intake duct, ethanol is mixed into the main air flow. Ethanol is carried into the precooler, and condenses together with the water vapor on the surface of the heat exchanger tube. A frost layer thus formed has less cavities and low thermal resistance as compared to that formed when the water vapor condenses solely. Therefore, the decrease of the performance of the heat exchanger, which is caused by the frost formation, can be prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2001
    Assignee: The Director-General of the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science
    Inventors: Nobuhiro Tanatsugu, Kenya Harada
  • Patent number: 6098423
    Abstract: A method which enables the sulphur and/or hydrogen contained in a low quantity in hydrogen sulphide to be prepared:1) the H.sub.2 S is oxidized at a temperature and for a duration selected to obtain full oxidation of the H.sub.2 S into SO.sub.2 and at least two products are obtained at the end of this step: SO.sub.2 and H.sub.2 O,2) The two products SO.sub.2 and H.sub.2 O obtained at the end of step 1) are separated,3) the isotope of the sulphur contained in the sulphur dioxide obtained during step 2) is measured and/or4) the H.sub.2 O obtained during step 2) is brought into contact with an agent capable of reducing the water to hydrogen form and5) the isotope of the hydrogen is measured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2000
    Assignee: Institute Francais du Petrole
    Inventors: Claudette Leblond, Alain Prinzhofer
  • Patent number: 6016667
    Abstract: Described is a process for degasolining by refrigeration of a gas containing condensable hydrocarbons, which is effected in the presence of methanol to avoid the formation of hydrates, said process making it possible to at least partially recover the methanol entrained in the gas, by washing same by means of a liquid hydrocarbon fraction. The process described thus makes it possible to avoid having to compensate for the loss of methanol by a continuous make-up, as is the case with conventional processes. It accordingly enjoys enhanced levels of performance and economy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2000
    Assignee: Institut Francais du Petrole
    Inventors: Nicole Doerler, Alexandre Rojey, Etienne Lebas
  • Patent number: 5946941
    Abstract: A method for processing pyrolysis gas prior to gas separation provides high economical efficiency due to low energy consumption for compression and low consumption of cooling water. This is due to the relatively low temperature of the pyrolysis gas and the low pressure losses during multistage compression, which in turn is determined by the organization of the processes of cooling by contact heat exchange between the pyrolysis gas and the washing water and operating liquid, by cooling them with an external medium in refrigerating machines and with a cold carrier in evaporators of absorption machines, and also by preliminarily cooling the washing water in the generators of those machines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 7, 1999
    Inventor: David Pavlovich Sinelnikov
  • Patent number: 5941096
    Abstract: A method for transportation and storage of a natural gas-containing product from a production site for the product. The product is separated into an oil phase and a gas phase and the gas phase is converted to a gas hydrate from which residual water is separated. The oil phase is then dehydrated and mixed with the gas hydrate to form a slurry which is stable through storage and transport.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 24, 1999
    Inventor: Jon Steinar Gudmundsson
  • Patent number: 5868004
    Abstract: A process for treating a gas containing methane, at least one higher hydrocarbon and water to eliminate the water and/or extract the higher hydrocarbon(s) comprises dividing the gas to be treated into at least two fractions each of which undergo at least one cooling step, and bringing an aqueous phase fraction obtained after cooling into contact with the gas to be treated. The treatment process uses units with reduced floor space and weight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 9, 1999
    Assignee: Institut Francais du Petrole
    Inventors: Alexandre Rojey, Nicole Doerler, Joseph Larue, Etienne Lebas
  • Patent number: 5868005
    Abstract: A process for treating a gas containing methane, at least one higher hydrocarbon and water to eliminate the water and extract the higher hydrocarbon(s) comprises:a) separating the gas to be treated into two streams (1) and (2);b) bringing at least stream (2) into contact with a recycled liquid phase comprising water and a solvent, to obtain an aqueous liquid phase which is depleted in solvent and a gas phase which is charged with solvent;c) separating the aqueous phase which is depleted in solvent and the gas phase which is charged with solvent;d) bringing said aqueous phase which is depleted in solvent into contact with one of the solvent-free gas streams defined at (a), the solvent being extracted from the depleted aqueous phase by the gas, and recovering a gas phase which is rich in solvent and a regenerated aqueous liquid phase;e) mixing the gas phase with either the gas phase from step (b) or the stream (2) upstream of contact step (b);f) cooling the gas phase from the mixing step so as to partially cond
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 9, 1999
    Assignee: Institut Francais du Petrole
    Inventors: Joseph Larue, Nicole Doerler, Etienne Lebas, Alexandre Rojey
  • Patent number: 5685171
    Abstract: A method of separating from gaseous media, such as air or technical gases, organic vapors by substantially isothermally raising the pressure of the media and subjecting them to cooling in a cold scrubber receiving its operating low temperature from circulating first and second flows of refrigerants of moderate and significant refrigeration parameters and provided by resulting condensates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 11, 1997
    Inventor: Hans Foerster
  • Patent number: 5596884
    Abstract: The cryogenic treatment of landfill gas removes troublesome compounds that cause severe corrosion of combustion engines in which the gas is used as fuel. It involves compressing the gas to an elevated pressure and isenthalpically expanding the gas to chill the gas to a temperature below -20 .degree. F. The compressed gas is first cooled to eliminate moisture as condensate. Methanol is injected into the gas so that it can be deeply chilled without forming ice with residual moisture in the gas. An aqueous methanol condensate containing troublesome compounds forms in, and is removed from, the deeply chilled gas before it is expanded to provide refrigeration for chilling the gas. By adding water to the aqueous methanol, the troublesome compounds lose solubility in diluted methanol and form a supernatant layer that can be separated for disposal. The diluted methanol can be recycled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 28, 1997
    Assignee: Kryos Energy Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen J. Markbreiter, Irving Weiss
  • Patent number: RE39826
    Abstract: The present invention related to a process and an apparatus for efficient and cost-effective comprehensive processing of natural gas, including the removal of moisture and the recovery of the higher hydrocarbons components (C2+). The said apparatus comprises the following major components: an integrated natural gas processor with a dehydration section and a higher hydrocarbons absorption section; a heat transport medium cooler; an absorbent cooler; a fractional distiller for separating the light oil from the heavy oil absorbent; an inhibitor regenerator; and a refrigeration unit. The present invention provides a low-cost natural gas comprehensive processor processing that is universally applicable to both terrestrial and off-shore natural gas exploitation. The said apparatus also provides an efficient and cost-effective natural gas dehydrator when the dehydration section is used independently without incorporating the absorption section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2007
    Inventor: Yingzhong Lu