Enhanced gas distribution system

Abstract

An economical system provides gaseous hydrocarbon to numerous locations ( 16, 18 ) that are each in the vicinity of an ocean coast, so the local inhabitants have access to low cost, easily supplied by pipeline and clean-burning natural gas. One system includes at least one self-propelled FSRU (floating storage and regas unit, 200 in FIG. 6 ) that unloads LNG from a tanker ( 202 ) that has sailed more than 400 km. The FSRU sails a much smaller distance, such as 25 km, to a local facility ( 12 A, 14 A) where a regas unit ( 210 ) on the FSRU heats the LNG and delivers the gas.

1 . A method for supplying natural gas to at least one community with a coastal gas receiving facility located at a sea coast, comprising: 
 sailing a tanker carrying LNG (liquefied natural gas) by at least 400 kilometers from a natural gas liquefying station to an offloading region that lies a plurality of kilometers but less than  400  kilometers from said coastal gas receiving facility;    sailing a local vessel constructed to carry LNG to said offloading region, coupling said local vessel to said tanker, transferring LNG from said tanker to said local vessel, sailing said local vessel with LNG therein to said coastal gas receiving facility, heating LNG carried by the local vessel to generate gaseous hydrocarbons, and flowing the gaseous hydrocarbons through the coastal gas receiving facility.    
   
   
       2 . The method described in  claim 1  wherein: 
 said step of coupling said local vessel to said tanker and transferring LNG to said local vessel includes connecting said tanker to said local vessel so they move together, while neither one is moored to the sea floor, and sailing said tanker and said local vessel connected thereto in the open sea by a distance of more than one kilometer during said step of transferring.    
   
   
       3 . The method described in  claim 1  including: 
 operating a refrigeration system on said tanker while it is sailing by at least 400 km, but not operating a refrigeration system on the local vessel while it sails to said coastal gas receiving facility.    
   
   
       4 . The method described in  claim 1  including: 
 mooring said local vessel to the sea floor at a location in said offloading region so the local vessel remains at said location;    said step of coupling said local vessel to said tanker includes fixing said tanker to said local vessel so said tanker also remains in said location during the transfer of LNG to said local vessel.    
   
   
       5 . The method described in  claim 1  including: 
 sailing a second local ship vessel to said region, said local vessel and second local ship each having a capacity for storing LNG that is no more than 60% of the storage capacity of said tanker, and said step of offloading including offloading no more than 60% of the LNG stored in the tanker to said local vessel and no more than 60% to said second local ship.    
   
   
       6 . A natural gas distribution system for supplying natural gas to a community where said natural gas has been transported as LNG (liquefied natural gas) by a tanker that has sailed at least 400 kilometers from a liquefying station to a location less than 400 km from said community, comprising: 
 at least one coastal gas receiving facility located at a sea coast in the vicinity of said community;    at least a first self-propelled local vessel that is constructed to receive LNG from said tanker and move under its own power to said coastal gas receiving facility;    a regas unit that lies at said coastal gas receiving facility when said local vessel is there, and that heats LNG to produce gaseous natural gas and that is connected to said facility to carry said gaseous natural gas through said facility.    
   
   
       7 . The system described in  claim 6  wherein: 
 said tanker has a predetermined storage capacity for holding LNG, which is more than 50 million standard cubic feet, said first local vessel has a storage capacity of no more than 60% of the LNG storage capacity of said tanker; and including    a second local vessel that has an LNG storage capacity no more than 60% of the LNG storage capacity of said tanker.