Process for producing liquefied natural gas

1. A process for liquefying methane-rich gases, the process comprising:

(a) providing a stream of methane-rich feed gas containing higher hydrocarbons comprising C 5+ hydrocarbons and/or aromatic compounds at a feed gas pressure of from 40 bar to 120 bar;

(b) providing a stream of methane-rich recycle gas at a recycle gas pressure of from 40 bar to 120 bar;

(c) mixing the feed gas with a first part of the recycle gas to form a mixture;

(d) passing the resulting mixture to a first gas expander having an outlet, the first gas expander outlet having a first gas expander outlet pressure of between 3 bar and 50 bar and less than the feed gas and recycle gas pressures, to form a first gas expander outlet stream comprising a mixture of vapor and a condensed liquid containing said higher hydrocarbons;

(e) separating the first gas expander outlet stream into a liquid stream and a first vapor stream;

(f) reheating and compressing said first vapor stream to a first vapor stream pressure of from 40 bar to 120 bar to form a first constituent of said recycle gas;

(g) cooling a second part of said recycle gas to a temperature higher than an outlet temperature of said first gas expander;

(h) dividing the cooled second part of the recycle gas into first and second streams, cooling the first stream to form a methane-rich condensate and depressurizing said methane-rich condensate to form a liquid methane product, passing the second stream to a second gas expander to form a mixture of liquid and vapor, and separating said liquid from said vapor to form additional liquid methane and a second vapor stream; and,

(i) reheating and compressing said second vapor stream to a second vapor stream pressure of from 40 bar to 120 bar to form a second constituent of said recycle gas.

2. The process according to claim 1 , comprising cooling the mixture of feed gas and the first part of the recycle gas in a heat exchanger before passing the mixture to the first gas expander.

3. The process according to claim 1 , comprising heating or cooling the first gas expander outlet stream in a heat exchanger prior to separation to modify the quantity of said higher hydrocarbons in the liquid.

4. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the methane-rich feed gas pressure and the methane-rich recycle gas pressure are each from 50 bar to 100 bar and/or the first gas expander pressure is from 5 bar to 30 bar.

5. The process according to claim 1 , comprising at least partially cooling the second part of the recycle gas by heat exchange with the second vapor stream prior to compressing said second vapor stream.

6. The process as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the methane-rich feed gas is natural gas.

7. A process for liquefying methane-rich gases, the process comprising:

(a) providing a stream of methane-rich feed gas containing higher hydrocarbons comprising C 5+ hydrocarbons and/or aromatic compounds at a feed gas pressure of from 40 bar to 120 bar;

(b) providing a stream of methane-rich recycle gas at a recycle gas pressure of from 40 bar to 120 bar;

(c) mixing the feed gas with a first part of the recycle gas to form a mixture;

(d) passing the resulting mixture to a first gas expander having an outlet, the first gas expander outlet having a first gas expander outlet pressure of between 3 bar and 50 bar and less than the feed gas and recycle gas pressures, to form a first gas expander outlet stream comprising a mixture of vapor and a condensed liquid containing said higher hydrocarbons;

(e) separating the first gas expander outlet stream into a liquid stream and a first vapor stream;

(f) reheating and compressing said first vapor stream to a first vapor stream pressure of from 40 bar to 120 bar to form a first constituent of said recycle gas;

(g) cooling a second part of said recycle gas to a temperature higher than an outlet temperature of said first gas expander;

(h) dividing the cooled second part of the recycle gas into first and second streams, cooling the first stream to form a methane-rich condensate and depressurizing said methane-rich condensate to form a liquid methane product, and passing the second stream to a second gas expander to form a second vapor stream; and,

(i) reheating and compressing said second vapor stream to a pressure of from 40 bar to 120 bar to form a second constituent of said recycle gas.

8. The process according to claim 7 , comprising cooling the mixture of feed gas and the first part of the recycle gas in a heat exchanger before passing the mixture to the first gas expander.

9. The process according to claim 7 , comprising heating or cooling the first gas expander outlet stream in a heat exchanger prior to separation to modify the quantity of said higher hydrocarbons in the liquid.

10. The process according to claim 7 , wherein the methane-rich feed gas pressure and the methane-rich recycle gas pressure are each from 50 bar to 100 bar and/or the first gas expander pressure is from 5 bar to 30 bar.

11. The process according to claim 7 , comprising at least partially cooling the second part of the recycle gas by heat exchange with the second vapor stream prior to compressing said second vapor stream.

12. The process according to claim 7 , wherein the methane-rich feed gas is natural gas.