Method for utilizing gas reserves with low methane concentrations and high inert gas concentrations for fueling gas turbines

• Main Authors: Mittricker, Frank F, Victory, Donald J
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 03.02.2004

This invention relates to the combustion of natural gas having relatively low methane concentrations and relatively high concentrations of inert gases. More particularly, this invention relates to the utilization of natural gas reserves having methane gas concentrations of from above 40 to about 80 volume percent methane by increasing the relative concentration of inert gases and using the methane produced thereby in a process which produces pipeline natural gas. In one aspect, blending hydrogen gas to provide an inert gas and hydrogen enhanced methane gas blend with a methane gas concentration of not more than about 40 volume percent, based upon the total volume of the gas. This gas blend is used for fuel in gas turbines. The invention is directed to a method of fueling gas turbines from natural gas reserves with relatively low methane concentrations. The invention uses such reserves to generate electric power. The invention permits the use of these reserves at significantly lower cost than by producing pipeline natural gas to fuel gas turbines to generate electric power. These reserves currently generally are used only after the removal of impurities to produce pipeline natural gas quality turbine fuel. The latter current technology is capital intensive, and at current natural gas prices, economically unattractive. The process of the invention can remove the impurities from the gas from the natural gas reserve necessary for protection of the environment, and leaves inert gasses in the fuel in an amount which will increase the output of a gas turbine for the generation of power by about 5 to about 20%.