Ambient Temperature Ethane Storage in Pressurized Pipes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for storing and transporting ethane to enhance the energy content of dry gas are energy and equipment intensive, making them costly and technically challenging, especially in offshore settings, and have not been viable for injecting ethane into dry gas pipelines.
Innovation Solution
Storing ethane as a liquid at ambient temperature conditions in elongate storage pipes, which are less expensive and require less material, allowing for pressurization at elevated pressures, enabling efficient transportation and injection into dry gas pipelines.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If ethane is stored as a liquid at ambient pressure conditions using conventional tank storage, then the ethane can be stored and transported, but the capital and operational expenditure is high due to thick steel-walled tanks requiring large amounts of material
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the pressure parameter from ambient pressure to elevated pressure (e.g., 70-150 barg) to enable the use of pipe storage instead of conventional tank storage. This parameter change allows the same volume of ethane to be stored in lighter, more space-efficient pipe structures while maintaining liquid state through pressurization
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from three-dimensional tank storage to elongated pipe storage, changing the geometric dimensionality of the storage solution. The pipes have high length-to-diameter ratios (at least 20), creating an elongated storage configuration that reduces material requirements and weight while maintaining storage capacity
2Quantity of substance
If ethane is stored as a liquid at ambient pressure conditions, then the storage can be implemented, but the space occupied by the thick-walled tanks is large, resulting in inefficient use of available space
Solution Approach 1:
By changing the pressure parameter to elevated levels (70-150 barg), the invention enables compact pipe storage that occupies significantly less space than conventional tank storage. The high pressure allows the liquid ethane to be contained in slender pipes with thin walls, maximizing storage density in the available volume
3Quantity of substance
If liquid ethane at ambient pressure conditions is transported to the dry gas site, then the ethane can be delivered, but large energy input is required for heating, compression and pumping processes
Solution Approach 1:
The invention performs preliminary pressurization of ethane to elevated pressures (70-150 barg) before transport and storage. This preliminary action eliminates the need for energy-intensive compression during the injection phase, as the ethane is already at the required pressure for direct injection into the dry gas pipeline
Solution Approach 2:
By changing the pressure parameter to elevated levels before transport, the invention reduces the total energy input required. The ethane requires heating only once (from ambient temperature to injection temperature) and maintains pressure throughout the process, eliminating repeated compression and pumping operations
4Strength
If conventional tank storage is used for liquid ethane at ambient pressure, then the storage can be implemented, but the thick wall thickness limits the size of the tank and reduces storage efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
By changing the pressure parameter to elevated levels (70-150 barg), the invention inverts the conventional approach: instead of using thick walls to contain pressure, the high operating pressure becomes the enabling condition that allows thin-walled pipe storage. This results in superior storage efficiency with maximum ethane volume per unit space
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method provides a technically and commercially viable solution for enhancing hydrocarbon production by increasing the energy content of dry gas through the use of storage pipes, reducing capital and operational costs, and overcoming space and infrastructure limitations.
Implementation Method 1
storing ethane in a plurality of storage pipes as a liquid at ambient temperature conditions
Data Source
AI summary
A method of storing ethane includes storing ethane in a number of storage pipes as a liquid at ambient temperature conditions. The storage pipes may be provided on a tanker.