Shell Oil Comapny

Frederick Jan Van Dijk

Marco Dick Jager

Francois Chantant

Jill Hui Chiun Chieng

François Chantant

A mixed refrigerant stream () comprising a first mixed refrigerant is passed through one or more heat exchangers () to provide a cooled mixed refrigerant stream (). At least a fraction of a cooling stream () comprising a second mixed refrigerant is expanded () to provide one or more expanded cooling streams (), at least one of which may be passed through one or more of the heat exchangers (), to cool the mixed refrigerant stream () thereby providing the cooled mixed refrigerant stream () which is used to cool () a hydrocarbon stream (). The temperature (T) and the flow (F) of at least part of the cooled mixed refrigerant stream () is monitored, and the flow (F) of the cooling stream () is controlled using the flow Fand the temperature T

Method and apparatus for cooling a hydrocarbon stream

Method and apparatus for controlling one or more first compressors (), through which a compressor feed stream () is passed. At least one throttling valve () is provided downstream of a compressor recycle line (), which is provided around the or each first compressor () and includes an in-line first recycle valve (). Sometimes, at least a fraction of the compressor feed stream () is selectively allowed to bypass the or each first compressor () and the at least one throttling valve, via a bypass line (). At least one of the throttling valves () is automatically controlled using the measurement values of at least one pressure and at least one flow of the group consisting of: the pressure (P) of the compressor feed stream (), the flow (F) of the compressor feed stream (), the pressure (P) of the first compressed stream () and the flow (F) of the first compressed stream (). A first compressor controlled this way may be used in a method of cooling an initial hydrocarbon stream ().

Method and apparatus for controlling a compressor and method of cooling a hydrocarbon stream

A system () for separating a fluid stream () comprising gas, a light liquid and a heavy liquid, the system comprising a separation vessel () that is arranged to define a downwardly extending separation space and comprises a downwardly sloping tube (), the separation space having an inlet () for the fluid stream at a first height, an outlet () for heavy liquid at a second height below the first height, an outlet () for light liquid at a third height between the first and second heights, an outlet () for gas above all outlets for liquid, wherein a further outlet () for light liquid is provided at a fourth height between the first and third heights, and wherein at least the outlet at the third height is provided with a control valve () that is operative to open and close in dependence of the type of liquid in the pipes at that level, and a method of separating a fluid stream comprising gas, a light liquid and a heavy liquid in such a system, wherein an indication of height of an interface between heavy and light liquid in the separation vessel is obtained and the control valve at the third outlet is operated in dependence on the height of the interface.

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Amsterdam, Netherlands

Frederick Jan Van Dijk