US3766583A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Offshore liquefied gas terminal
Assignee: Gulf Oil Corp
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Filing: 1972-06-21
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Granted: 1973-10-23
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Expires: 1992-06-21
Abstract
Abstract A portable terminal for liquefied natural gas in which a cryogenic storage tank for liquefied natural gas is mounted on a compartmented concrete base having sufficient buoyancy to float the tank and a gas treating plant is constructed on a deck forming the roof of the storage tank. The gas treating plant may be a plant for liquefying natural gas or a plant for gasification of stored natural gas. A barrier wall extending upwardly from the base near its outer edge is spaced from and surrounds the storage tank to form ballast compartments into which water can be pumped to sink the base of the terminal onto the ocean floor. Means are provided to circulate water through the base to prevent freezing of water below the storage tank.
Inventors
- 👤 R Phelps
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 06:14
CPC Classifications
F; F17; F17C; F17C3/00; F17C3/02; B; B63; B63B; B63B35/00; B63B35/44; B63B35/4413; F25; F25J; F25J1/00; F25J1/0002; F25J1/0022; F25J1/003; F25J1/0032; F25J1/0035; F25J1/0037; F25J1/004; F25J1/02; F25J1/0201; F25J1/0202; F25J1/0243; F25J1/0257; F25J1/0262; F25J1/0264; F25J1/0265; F25J1/0275; F25J1/0277; F25J1/0278; F25J1/0279; F25J1/0281; F25J1/0285; F25J1/0288; F17C2201/00; F17C2201/01; F17C2201/0104; F17C2201/0119; F17C2201/03; F17C2201/032; F17C2201/05; F17C2201/052; F17C2203/00; F17C2203/03; F17C2203/0304; F17C2203/0337; F17C2203/0341; F17C2203/06; F17C2203/0602; F17C2203/0604; F17C2203/0612; F17C2203/0626; F17C2203/0629; F17C2203/0634; F17C2203/0636; F17C2203/0639; F17C2203/0646; F17C2203/0658; F17C2203/066; F17C2203/0678; F17C2221/00; F17C2221/03; F17C2221/032; F17C2221/033; F17C2223/00; F17C2223/01; F17C2223/0146; F17C2223/0153; F17C2223/0161; F17C2223/03; F17C2223/033; F17C2225/00; F17C2225/01; F17C2225/0107; F17C2225/0123; F17C2225/03; F17C2225/035; F17C2227/00; F17C2227/03; F17C2227/0302; F17C2227/0309; F17C2260/00; F17C2260/03; F17C2260/031; F17C2260/032; F17C2265/00; F17C2265/01; F17C2265/012; F17C2265/05; F17C2265/07; F17C2270/00; F17C2270/01; F17C2270/0102; F17C2270/0118; F17C2270/0123; F25J2230/00; F25J2230/20; F25J2230/60; F25J2290/00; F25J2290/60; F25J2290/62
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
220 words
An offshore terminal for liquefied natural gas adapted to be floated to the desired offshore site and sunk onto an ocean floor foundation comprising a flat concrete base having a height such that the upper surface of the base is below the surface of the water when the terminal is resting on the ocean floor foundation, a vertical cylindrical cryogenic storage tank for the storage of liquefied natural gas mounted on the upper surface of the base, said storage tank including a concrete outer shell encasing a liner and extending upwardly above the water surface when the terminal is on the ocean floor foundation, a barrier wall extending upwardly from the base to above the water level when the terminal rests on the ocean floor foundation and surrounding and spaced from the storage tank to provide a ballast compartment Between the wall and storage tank having a volume such that the terminal can be sunk onto the ocean floor foundation when the storage tank is empty by introduction of water into the ballast compartments, means for delivering water into and withdrawing water from the ballast compartment to permit floating or sinking of the terminal, and a liquefied natural gas plant mounted on top of the storage tank for changing the phase of natural gas delivered to or from the terminal.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
220 words
An offshore terminal for liquefied natural gas adapted to be floated to the desired offshore site and sunk onto an ocean floor foundation comprising a flat concrete base having a height such that the upper surface of the base is below the surface of the water when the terminal is resting on the ocean floor foundation, a vertical cylindrical cryogenic storage tank for the storage of liquefied natural gas mounted on the upper surface of the base, said storage tank including a concrete outer shell encasing a liner and extending upwardly above the water surface when the terminal is on the ocean floor foundation, a barrier wall extending upwardly from the base to above the water level when the terminal rests on the ocean floor foundation and surrounding and spaced from the storage tank to provide a ballast compartment Between the wall and storage tank having a volume such that the terminal can be sunk onto the ocean floor foundation when the storage tank is empty by introduction of water into the ballast compartments, means for delivering water into and withdrawing water from the ballast compartment to permit floating or sinking of the terminal, and a liquefied natural gas plant mounted on top of the storage tank for changing the phase of natural gas delivered to or from the terminal.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
An offshore terminal as set forth in claim 1 in which the liquefied natural gas plant is a liquefaction plant.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
An offshore terminal as set forth in claim 1 in which the liquefied natural gas plant is a vaporization plant.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
An offshore terminal as set forth in claim 1 including means for circulating a heating medium through the base to prevent formation of ice below the storage tank.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
64 words
An offshore terminal as set forth in claim 1 in which the base includes a horizontal bottom member, a horizontal upper member spaced above the bottom member, vertical walls joined to the bottom member and upper member dividing the base into buoyancy compartments, and means for introducing water into and withdrawing water from the buoyancy compartments to control the gross weight of the terminal.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
An offshore terminal as set forth in claim 1 including means for supplying heat to the base to prevent formation of ice thereunder.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
87 words
In an offshore terminal as set forth in claim 1, means for adjusting the gross weight of the terminal including a plurality of buoyancy compartments in the base, means for delivering air into each of the buoyancy compartments, means for delivering water into each of the buoyancy compartments, a first vent line opening into each of the buoyancy compartments near the bottom thereof, a second vent line opening into each of the buoyancy compartments near the top thereof, and means for controlling flow through the vent lines.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
50 words
An offshore terminal as set forth in claim 1 in which the base includes a bottom member, a top member spaced above the bottom member, vertical walls extending from the bottom member to the top member, and means embedded in the vertical walls for supplying heat to the vertical walls.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
57 words
A terminal as set forth in claim 1 including a vertical access shaft extending downwardly through the storage tank into the base, a horizontal access passage communicating with the access shaft and extending across the tank, a plurality of buoyancy compartments in the base member, and means permitting access from the access passage into the buoyancy compartments.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
50 words
An offshore terminal as set forth in claim 1 including bulkheads extending from the barrier wall to the storage tank at intervals around the periphery of the storage tank to form a plurality of ballast compartments, and means for selectively introducing water into or withdrawing water from the ballast compartments.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
206 words
An offshore facility for liquefied natural gas adapted to be floated to the desired site and partially submerged to be supported by an ocean floor foundation comprising a prestressed concrete base having a bottom member and a top member spaced therefrom, vertical walls including an outer wall between the bottom member and top member supporting the top member and dividing the base into a plurality of buoyancy compartments, means for introducing water into and withdrawing water from buoyancy compartments to control the buoyancy of the facility as it is floated to the desired location and to sink the facility at the desired location, controlled passages through the outer wall of buoyancy compartments opening into sea water surrounding the facility to permit flow of sea water through buoyancy compartments to supply heat thereto, a vertical cylindrical cryogenic storage tank mounted on the top member of the base and having its top above the level of waves when the facility is supported by the ocean floor foundation, said storage tank including a liner surrounded by insulation and concrete encasinG the insulation, and a liquefied natural gas plant mounted on the top of the storage tank for changing the phase of natural gas delivered to or from the facility.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
206 words
An offshore facility for liquefied natural gas adapted to be floated to the desired site and partially submerged to be supported by an ocean floor foundation comprising a prestressed concrete base having a bottom member and a top member spaced therefrom, vertical walls including an outer wall between the bottom member and top member supporting the top member and dividing the base into a plurality of buoyancy compartments, means for introducing water into and withdrawing water from buoyancy compartments to control the buoyancy of the facility as it is floated to the desired location and to sink the facility at the desired location, controlled passages through the outer wall of buoyancy compartments opening into sea water surrounding the facility to permit flow of sea water through buoyancy compartments to supply heat thereto, a vertical cylindrical cryogenic storage tank mounted on the top member of the base and having its top above the level of waves when the facility is supported by the ocean floor foundation, said storage tank including a liner surrounded by insulation and concrete encasinG the insulation, and a liquefied natural gas plant mounted on the top of the storage tank for changing the phase of natural gas delivered to or from the facility.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
25 words
An offshore facility as set forth in claim 11 in which the liquefied natural gas plant is a plant for the liquefaction of natural gas.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
26 words
An offshore facility as set forth in claim 11 in which the liquefied natural gas plant is a plant for the vaporization of liquefied natural gas.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
210 words
An offshore facility for liquefied natural gas adapted to be floated to an offshore site and sunk at the site onto an ocean-bottom foundation comprising a concrete base having a flat floor and a flat upper member spaced therefrom, vertical walls extending from the floor to the upper member supporting the upper member above the floor and dividing the base into a plurality of buoyancy compartments; the longitudinal and lateral dimensions of the base being substantially equal; a cryogenic storage tank mounted on the upper member of the base and having its top above the surface of the water when the facility is supported by the ocean bottom foundation; said cryogenic storage tank comprising a liner, insulation surrounding the liner, and a concrete tank surrounding the insulation, the mass of the offshore facility and the volume of the buoyancy compartments in the base allowing flotation of the facility to the desired site and sinking at the site onto the ocean bottom foundation when the cryogenic storage tank is empty by delivery of water into the buoyancy compartments, means for adjusting the volume of water in the buoyancy compartments, and means for circulating water from outside the facility through the buoyancy compartments to prevent freezing of water in the buoyancy compartments.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
210 words
An offshore facility for liquefied natural gas adapted to be floated to an offshore site and sunk at the site onto an ocean-bottom foundation comprising a concrete base having a flat floor and a flat upper member spaced therefrom, vertical walls extending from the floor to the upper member supporting the upper member above the floor and dividing the base into a plurality of buoyancy compartments; the longitudinal and lateral dimensions of the base being substantially equal; a cryogenic storage tank mounted on the upper member of the base and having its top above the surface of the water when the facility is supported by the ocean bottom foundation; said cryogenic storage tank comprising a liner, insulation surrounding the liner, and a concrete tank surrounding the insulation, the mass of the offshore facility and the volume of the buoyancy compartments in the base allowing flotation of the facility to the desired site and sinking at the site onto the ocean bottom foundation when the cryogenic storage tank is empty by delivery of water into the buoyancy compartments, means for adjusting the volume of water in the buoyancy compartments, and means for circulating water from outside the facility through the buoyancy compartments to prevent freezing of water in the buoyancy compartments.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-10-22 | 1977-04-23 | 1977-10-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-10-22 | 1981-04-23 | 1981-10-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-10-22 | 1985-04-23 | 1985-10-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |