Bhp Petroleum Pty, Ltd.

Christopher A T Dubar

Oliver Leh Ming Tu

Apparatus for liquefying natural gas, comprising a series of heat exchangers for cooling the natural gas in countercurrent heat exchange relationship with a refrigerant, compression means for compressing the refrigerant, expansion means for isentropically expanding at least two separate streams of the compressed refrigerant, said expanded streams of refrigerant communicating with a cool end of a respective one of the heat exchangers, and a precooling refrigeration system for precooling the natural gas to a temperature below 0&deg; C. before it is fed to the series of heat exchangers, and for precooling the compressed refrigerant discharged from a warm end of the series of heat exchangers to a temperature below 0&deg; C. before it is fed back into the series of heat exchangers or to the expansion means.

Liquefaction process and apparatus

A support structure that is either floatable or otherwise adapted to be disposed in an offshore location at least partially above sea level. A natural gas liquefaction system is located on or in the support structure and has a series of heat exchangers for cooling the natural gas in a countercurrent heat exchange relationship with a refrigerant. One or more compressors compress the refrigerant which is divided into two separate streams. Each stream is fed to a liquid expansion turbine where it is isentropically expanded. The expanded streams of refrigerant are then fed to the cool end of one of the heat exchangers.

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Beaumaris, Australia

Christopher A T Dubar