METHOD OF LIQUEFYING A CONTAMINATED HYDROCARBON -CONTAINING GAS STREAM

The present invention provides a method of liquefying a contaminated hydrocarbon-containing gas stream, the method comprising at least the steps of: (a) providing a contaminated hydrocarbon-containing gas stream (20); (b) cooling the contaminated hydrocarbon-containing gas stream (20) in a first heat exchanger (3) thereby obtaining a cooled contaminated hydrocarbon-containing stream (40); (c) cooling the cooled contaminated hydrocarbon-containing stream (40) in an expander (4) thereby obtaining a partially liquefied stream (70); (d) separating the partially liquefied stream (70) in a separator (5) thereby obtaining a gaseous stream (80) and a liquid stream (90); (e) expanding the liquid steam (90) obtained in step (d) thereby obtaining a multiphase stream (100), the multiphase stream (100) containing at least a vapour phase, a liquid phase and a solid phase; (f) separating the multiphase stream (100) in a separator (7) thereby obtaining a gaseous stream (110) and a slurry stream (120); (g) separating the slurry stream (120) in a solid/liquid separator (9) thereby obtaining a liquid hydrocarbon stream (170) and a concentrated slurry stream (140); (h) passing the gaseous stream (80) obtained in step (d) through the first heat exchanger (3) thereby obtaining a heated gaseous stream (270); and (i) compressing the heated gaseous stream (270) thereby obtaining a compressed gas stream (220); and (j) combining the compressed gas stream (220) obtained in step (i) with the contaminated hydrocarbon-containing gas stream (20) provided in step (a). (Figure 1)