METHOD, SYSTEM, AND PRODUCTION AND STORAGE FACILITY FOR OFFSHORE LPG and LNG PROCESSING OF ASSOCIATED GASES

Abstract

A method, system and production and storage facility is disclosed for offshore LPG and LNG processing of associated gases. The system includes a first production facility and a second production and storage facility. The first facility receives and processes produced fluids to produce crude oil, water and rich associated gases. The second facility includes a gas treatment unit for processing the rich associated gases to remove contaminants and produce a treated gas stream of hydrocarbons. The second facility also has at least one LPG and / or LNG production unit for producing one of LPG and / or LNG from the treated gas stream. At least one storage tank on the second facility stores at least one of the LPG and / or LNG. The second production facility may be a retrofit LNG or LPG carrier. The treatment unit, LPG and / or LNG production and needed offloading facilities and equipment can be added to the LNG / LPG carrier. Existing storage tanks can be modified as needed or else new storage tanks can also be added.

Description

BACKGROUND[0001]1. Technical Field[0002]The present disclosure relates to offshore production facilities including floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessels and floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) vessels that process produced fluids from undersea subterranean hydrocarbon-bearing reservoirs.[0003]2. Description of Related Art[0004]Produced fluids from hydrocarbon containing subterranean reservoirs often contain mixtures of crude oil, water, entrained or associated gases and other contaminants. Associated gas production streams separated from the remainder of the produced fluids must be processed to enable offshore crude oil production. Typically, the associated gases include hydrocarbons containing one to five or more carbon atoms such as methane (C1), ethane (C2), propane (C3), butane (C4) and heavier condensates (C5+). The associated gases often contain other unwanted constituents such as acid gases including carbon dioxide (CO2) and hydrogen sulfide (H2S), wate...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

Currently, no LNG production facilities exist as part of an offshore processing platform or oil FPSO.

In the oil / LPG FPSO option, the combination of oil / gas production and LPG processing facilities, along with the onboard oil / condensate / LPG storage, creates a very large and complex vessel.

For both of the above offshore oil and gas processing options, the addition of LPG production, LNG production and storage facilities adds considerably to complexity and cost.

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