| US 7,470,359 B2 | ||
| Method for extracting an antihydrate contained in condensed hydrocarbons | ||
| Renaud Cadours, Francheville (France); Fabrice Lecomte, Paris (France); Lionel Magna, Lyons (France); and Cécile Barrere-Tricca, Soucieu en Jarrest (France) | ||
| Assigned to Institut Francais du Petrole, Ruiel Malmaison Cedex (France) | ||
| Filed on Feb. 14, 2005, as Appl. No. 11/56,279. | ||
| Claims priority of application No. 04 01505 (FR), filed on Feb. 13, 2004. | ||
| Prior Publication US 2005/0187421 A1, Aug. 25, 2005 | ||
| Int. Cl. C10G 5/04 (2006.01); C10G 5/06 (2006.01) | ||
| U.S. Cl. 208—351 [585/802; 585/833; 62/625; 62/632] | 14 Claims |
| 1. Method for processing a natural gas in which the following steps are carried out:
a) the natural gas is mixed with antihydrate compounds,
b) the mixture is cooled so as to obtain a gas phase containing methane and ethane, a first liquid phase containing hydrocarbons
and antihydrate compounds, and a second liquid phase containing water and antihydrate compounds,
c) the gas phase, the first liquid phase, and the second liquid phase are separated,
d) at least a portion of the first liquid phase is brought into contact with a non-aqueous ionic liquid so that the ionic
liquid is charged with antihydrate compounds and at least the portion of the first liquid phase is impoverished of antihydrate
compounds, the ionic liquid having the general formula Q+ A−, where Q+ designates an ammonium, phosphonium, and/or sulfonium cation, and A− designates an anion able to form a liquid salt,
e) at least the portion of the first liquid phase impoverished of antihydrate compounds and the ionic liquid charged with
antihydrate compounds are separated, and
f) the ionic liquid charged with antihydrate compounds is regenerated to separate the antihydrate compounds and recover an
ionic liquid impoverished of antihydrate compounds.
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