Patent ID: 7451605

Claim:
A natural gas storage facility that is capable of receiving a ship borne cold fluid, the facility comprising: at least one compensated salt cavern; means for moving a compensating liquid into and out of the at least one compensated salt cavern; at least one heat exchanger to warm the cold fluid, the at least one heat exchanger positioned on the surface and outside of the at least one compensated salt cavern, the at least one heat exchanger performing the majority of the warming of the cold fluid before the cold fluid enters the salt cavern; and at least one cryogenic pumping system to pump the cold fluid through the at least one heat exchanger, to raise the temperature of the cold fluid to a temperature that is compatible with the at least one compensated salt cavern and to cause the cold fluid to become a warmed fluid, before at least a potion of the warmed fluid is placed in the at least one compensated salt cavern for storage.