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CA2036084A1 - A method for preventing hydrates - Google Patents

A method for preventing hydrates

Info

Publication number
CA2036084A1
CA2036084A1 CA002036084A CA2036084A CA2036084A1 CA 2036084 A1 CA2036084 A1 CA 2036084A1 CA 002036084 A CA002036084 A CA 002036084A CA 2036084 A CA2036084 A CA 2036084A CA 2036084 A1 CA2036084 A1 CA 2036084A1
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
fluid
hydrates
alkyl aryl
cell
alkyl
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Abandoned
Application number
CA002036084A
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Herman Mathieu Muijs
Nicolaas Cornelis Maria Beers
Nico Maria Van Os
Cornelius Elbertus Kind
Mark Joseph Anselme
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Shell Canada Ltd
Original Assignee
Shell Canada Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Shell Canada Ltd filed Critical Shell Canada Ltd
Publication of CA2036084A1 publication Critical patent/CA2036084A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • CCHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C10PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
    • C10LFUELS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NATURAL GAS; SYNTHETIC NATURAL GAS OBTAINED BY PROCESSES NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C10G, C10K; LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS; ADDING MATERIALS TO FUELS OR FIRES TO REDUCE SMOKE OR UNDESIRABLE DEPOSITS OR TO FACILITATE SOOT REMOVAL; FIRELIGHTERS
    • C10L1/00Liquid carbonaceous fuels
    • C10L1/32Liquid carbonaceous fuels consisting of coal-oil suspensions or aqueous emulsions or oil emulsions
    • C10L1/328Oil emulsions containing water or any other hydrophilic phase

Landscapes

  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Oil, Petroleum & Natural Gas (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Organic Low-Molecular-Weight Compounds And Preparation Thereof (AREA)

Abstract

A B S T R A C T

A METHOD FOR PREVENTING HYDRATES

The invention relates to a method for preventing or retarding the formation of hydrates or for reducing the tendency of hydrates to agglomerate in a stream of fluid comprising water and hydrocarbon during transport of the fluid through a conduit, which method comprises adding to the fluid an alkyl aryl sulphonic acid or an alkali metal- or ammonium salt thereof substantially in the absence of glycol flowing in the stream.

VMl.T5398FF

Description

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A METHOD FOR PREVENTING HYDRATES

The invention relates to a method for preventing or retarding the formation of hydrates or for reducing the tendency of hydrates to agglomerate during the transport of a fluid through a conduit.
It is well known in the art that the formation of hydrates in a conduit, e.g. a pipeline, during the transport of oil and gas can be a serious problem, especially in areas with a low temperature in the winter season or in the sea. Generally the temperatures are so low that hydrate fcrmation, due to the inevitable presence of coproduced water in the wells, takes place if no special steps are taken. It is possible to insulate a pipeline when during transport from the well, the temperature of the fluid in the pipeline ,~ decreases. Insulation decreases the chance of hydrate formation,but on the other hand it is expensive. If the field is relatively small and at long distance from the production platform the costs of insulation may be too high to make the field economically attractive.
: It is also known to control the hydrate formation by addition of chemical compounds in the fluid which is transported, e.g. by the use of glycols, e.g. ethylene glycol or diethylene glycol. A
disadvantage thereof is that large amounts of glycol are needed (in the order of 30~ by weight calculated on the amount of water).
In the U.S.S.R. Inventor's Certificate 697696 is disclosed a composition suitable for the prevention of hydrate formation, which composition comprises diethylene glycol with a minor amount of alkyl aryl sulphonate (in a quantity of 0.3-0.5~ based on the weight of the diethylene glycol).
Surprisingly it has been found that alkyl aryl sulphonic acids or alkali metal- or ammonium salts thereof can be used without glycols, to control hydrate formation.
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The invention relates to a method for preventing or retarding the formation of hydrates or for reducing the tendency of hydrates to agglomerate in a stream of fluid comprising water and hydrocarbon during transport of the fluid through a conduit, which method comprises adding to the fluid an alkyl aryl sulphonic acid or an alkali metal- or ammonium salt thereof substantially in the absence of glycol flowing in the stream.
The hydrocarbon may be a liquid or a gas, but is preferably a gas such as methane, ethane, propane, isopropane, butane or isobutane. The fluid may be produced from oil wells as well as from gas wells. The fluid may also include natural gas.
Depending upon the pressure hydrates may be formed at temperatures well above the freezing point of water. Ethane hydrates, for example, are formed at pressures between 10 and 30 bar (1 and 3 MPa) and temperatures between 4 C and 14 C.
Formation and agglomeration of hydrate crystals will thus easily occur in pipelines surrounded by a cold atmosphere.
The problem of formation and agglomeration of gas hydrates is not limited to gas wells, but also occurs in oil wells, if water and gas are present in the fluid.
The alkyl aryl sulphonic acids or their salts preferably have an aryl group derived ~rom benzene, toluene, ortho-, meta- or para-xylene. The alkyl group is preferably a long chain alkyl group, which may be branched or straight. The alkyl group may be e.g. a c8-C22-alkyl group-Preferred compounds are those of the chemical formula ~01' R
wherein X is H, Na or K and R is a C8-C22 alkyl ~roup.
More preferred compounds are those wherein R is a C13 and/or C14 alkyl or a C18-alkyl group, such as thoqe known under the trade name DOBANAX-320, DOBANAX-313 and DOBANAX-205.

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Other groups of preferred compounds are dialkyl benzene sulphonates of the chemical structura so3~ S03X
Rl or ~ R

wherein X i5 an alkali metal and Rl and R2 are the same or different C2-c20-alkyl groups, preferably C6-C14-alkyl groups The alkyl aryl sulphonates are added in quantities from O.1 per cent to 3 per cent by weight, calculated on the weight oE the water present in the fluid. A preferred range is from 0.2 to 1 percent, more preferred in the range of from 0.3 to 0.6 per cent.
To study the influence of a small quantity of alkyl aryl sulphonates on the nucleation temperacure, kinetics of the crystal : growth and morphology of the crystals, a high pressure, jacketed visual cell was built. The cell was made of stainless steel and had a cooling jacket to allow a good and easy temperature control of the cell. Two sapphire windows allowed visual observation of the cell content. The cell was provided with two valves one for the . introduction of liquid and one for gas. At the bottom of the cell a stirring bar cared for good mixing of the cell content. The inner volume of the cell was 66.4 ml and dead volumes were reduced to a minimum. The cell was further tested together with its loading system at a pressure of ].00 bar over a period of 80 hours without any pressure drop being observed. The cell usually worked at a pressure of below 30 bar. The cell was located in a plexiglass cage.
A personal computer based data acquisition system allowed the measurement of the temperature and pressure inside the cell once per minute. The set point of a thermostated bath, connected to the cooling jacket, could be set automatically by the computer. A steel well went deeply inside the cell in which a platinum resistance thermometer was introduced. On the cell was mounted a pressure .~ . . . ~ ~ , .
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transducer, with a very small temperature hysteresis and a high accuracy.
Before a run was made, the cell was rinsed with demineralized water, rinsed with ethanol and vacuum dried, all without dismounting the cell.
To carry out the experiment demineralized water and decane were introduced as liquid into the cell. The water contained 0.5~
per cent by weight of alkyl aryl sulphonic acid or salt thereof, if desired. Ethane was introduced as a gas into the cell. The run started at 20 C and the temperature in the cell was dropped, via the jacket connected to the thermostatic bath by lowering its temperature. The amounts of water, decane and ethane were 25, 5.8 ; and 4.7 grams respectively. The pressure was 25 bar at 20 C, and no ethane hydrates were formed.
The thermometer sent a digital signal, the pressure meter an analog signal, to ~he computer. The computer could also send a set point command to the thermostatic bath. During each experiment the temperature and the pressure of the cell were recorded, together with the time, at every minute. Of a given composition, comprising water, decane and ethane and if desired the alkyl aryl sulphonic acid or salt thereof, a temperature-time and a pressure-time curve could be made.
By lowering the temperature, which was accompanied by a pressure drop, to below the equilibrium temperature point at which hydrates and liquid were in equili~rium, ethane hydrates were formed. The rather sudden formation of hydrates was read from the temperature- and pressure-time curve. A relatively steep rise in temperature (about 0.5 C) and a pressure drop (about 1 to 5 bar) occurred.
At the same time the formation of hydrates was seen through a . sapphire window. The formation of hydrate crystals consumes the free ethane molecules. The progressive drop of the cell pressure ` that occurs after nucleation has started is a good indication of the quantity of hydrate formed as a function of time.

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It was further observed that in the hydrate formation the crystals agglomerated in case that alkyl aryl sulphona~e was not added.
In the method according to the invention, however, the addition of an alkyl aryl sulphonate prevented the formation of agglomerates of hydrates.
E~MPLE 1 25 g of water, 5.8 g of decane, 4.7 g of ethane and 0.5~ by weight, based on the water, of di-linear C8-C10-alkyl benzene sulphonate (sodium salt), were used as described above in the cell.
The experiment started at 20 C and after lowering the temperature to 8.4 C crystallization occurred, while at the same time the pressure in the cell decreased from 22 bar to 13 bar. No agglomeration of the hydrate was observed.

25 g of water, 5.8 g of decane, 4.7 g of ethane and 0.5% by weight, based on the water, of sulphonated "SOMIL SH" (SOMIL is a Trade Mark) were used as described above in the cell. The experiment started at 20 C and after lowering the temperature to 8.4 C crystallization occurred, while at the same time the pressure in the cell decreased from 22 bar to 16 bar. No agglomeration of the hydrate was observed.

25 g of water, 5.8 g of decane, 4.7 g of ethane and 0.5% by weight, based on the water, of Cl~-alkyl benzene sulphonic acid were used as described above in the cell. The experiment started at 20 C and after lowering the temperature to 8.4 C crystallization occurred while at the same time the pressure in the cell dropped from 22 bar to 16 bar. No agglomeration of the hydrate was observed.
Comparative Example A
: 25 g of water, 5.8 g of decane and 4.7 g of ethane were used as described above in the cell. Also in this case the experiment started at 20 C and after lowering the temperature to 9.4 C
crystallization occurred and was followed by agglomeration of the crystals.

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Claims (10)

1. A method for preventing or retarding the formation of hydrates or for reducing the tendency of hydrates to agglomerate in a stream of fluid comprising water and hydrocarbon during transport of the fluid through a conduit, which method comprises adding to the fluid an alkyl aryl sulphonic acid or an alkali metal- or ammonium salt thereof substantially in the absence of glycol flowing in the stream.
2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the fluid comprises one or more hydrocarbons consisting of the group: methane, ethane, propane, isopropane, butane and isobutane.
3. A method as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the fluid comprises natural gas.
4. A method as claimed in one or more of the claims 1-3 wherein is added to the fluid a C8-C22-alkyl aryl sulphonic acid or an alkali metal- or ammonium salt thereof.
5. A method as claimed in claim 4 wherein a compound of the chemical structure wherein X is H, Na or K and R is a C8-C22 alkyl group, is used.
6. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein a compound of the chemical structure and/or wherein X is an alkali metal and R1 and R2 are the same or different C2-C20-alkyl groups, preferably C6-C14-alkyl groups, is used.
7. A method as claimed in one or more of the claims 1-6 wherein the quantity of alkyl aryl sulphonate ranges from 0.1 per cent to 3 per cent by weight, calculated on the weight of the water present in the fluid.
8. A method as claimed in claim 7 wherein the quantity of alkyl aryl sulphonate lies in the range of from 0.2 to 1 per cent.
9. A method as claimed in one or more of the claims 1-8 characterized by the substantial absence of a glycol.
10. A method for preventing or retarding the formation of hydrates on for reducing the tendency of hydrates to agglomerate as claimed in claim 1 as hereinbefore described with special reference to the Examples 1-3.

VMl.T5398FF
CA002036084A 1990-02-16 1991-02-11 A method for preventing hydrates Abandoned CA2036084A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB909003617A GB9003617D0 (en) 1990-02-16 1990-02-16 A method for preventing hydrates
GB9003617.9 1990-02-16

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA2036084A1 true CA2036084A1 (en) 1991-08-17

Family

ID=10671171

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA002036084A Abandoned CA2036084A1 (en) 1990-02-16 1991-02-11 A method for preventing hydrates

Country Status (7)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0457375B1 (en)
CA (1) CA2036084A1 (en)
DE (1) DE69100197T2 (en)
DK (1) DK0457375T3 (en)
GB (1) GB9003617D0 (en)
NO (1) NO180783C (en)
NZ (1) NZ237020A (en)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US7585816B2 (en) 2003-07-02 2009-09-08 Exxonmobil Upstream Research Company Method for inhibiting hydrate formation
US7958939B2 (en) 2006-03-24 2011-06-14 Exxonmobil Upstream Research Co. Composition and method for producing a pumpable hydrocarbon hydrate slurry at high water-cut
US8430169B2 (en) 2007-09-25 2013-04-30 Exxonmobil Upstream Research Company Method for managing hydrates in subsea production line
US8436219B2 (en) 2006-03-15 2013-05-07 Exxonmobil Upstream Research Company Method of generating a non-plugging hydrate slurry

Families Citing this family (18)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPH06510594A (en) * 1992-07-06 1994-11-24 エニリチェルケ・ソシエタ・ペル・アチオニ Method for recovering and fluidizing highly viscous petroleum products
US5420370A (en) * 1992-11-20 1995-05-30 Colorado School Of Mines Method for controlling clathrate hydrates in fluid systems
US5432292A (en) * 1992-11-20 1995-07-11 Colorado School Of Mines Method for controlling clathrate hydrates in fluid systems
USH1749H (en) * 1994-09-15 1998-09-01 Exxon Production Research Company Method for inhibiting hydrate formation
US5841010A (en) * 1994-09-15 1998-11-24 Exxon Production Research Company Surface active agents as gas hydrate inhibitors
US5600044A (en) * 1994-09-15 1997-02-04 Exxon Production Research Company Method for inhibiting hydrate formation
US5491269A (en) * 1994-09-15 1996-02-13 Exxon Production Research Company Method for inhibiting hydrate formation
US5583273A (en) * 1994-09-15 1996-12-10 Exxon Production Research Company Method for inhibiting hydrate formation
US6015929A (en) * 1994-09-15 2000-01-18 Exxon Research And Engineering Co. Gas hydrate anti-agglomerates
US5744665A (en) * 1995-06-08 1998-04-28 Exxon Production Research Company Maleimide copolymers and method for inhibiting hydrate formation
US5936040A (en) * 1995-06-08 1999-08-10 Exxon Production Research Company Method for inhibiting hydrate formation using maleimide copolymers
US6194622B1 (en) 1998-06-10 2001-02-27 Exxonmobil Upstream Research Company Method for inhibiting hydrate formation
US6359047B1 (en) 2001-03-20 2002-03-19 Isp Investments Inc. Gas hydrate inhibitor
NO316295B1 (en) 2002-05-07 2004-01-05 Agr Group As Method and apparatus for removing a hydrate plug
FR2879189B1 (en) 2004-12-13 2007-03-30 Inst Francais Du Petrole METHOD FOR TRANSPORTING SUSPENDED HYDRATES INTO PRODUCTION EFFLUENTS USING A NON-POLLUTANT ADDITIVE
US9988568B2 (en) 2015-01-30 2018-06-05 Ecolab Usa Inc. Use of anti-agglomerants in high gas to oil ratio formations
WO2016133470A1 (en) 2015-02-16 2016-08-25 Göksel Osman Zühtü A system and a method for exploitation of gas from gas-hydrate formations
FR3092331A1 (en) 2019-02-06 2020-08-07 Arkema France COMPOSITION TO PREVENT AGGLOMERATION OF GAS HYDRATES

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
SU697696A1 (en) * 1977-12-01 1979-11-15 Всесоюзный Научно-Исследовательский И Проектный Институт По Подготовке К Транспортировке И Переработки Природного Газа Composition for inhibiting paraffin-hydrate deposition
JPS5935960B2 (en) * 1982-02-25 1984-08-31 株式会社 柏化学工業 Cleaning agent for piping
FR2625548B1 (en) * 1987-12-30 1990-06-22 Inst Francais Du Petrole PROCESS FOR DELAYING FORMATION AND / OR REDUCING THE TENDENCY TO AGGLOMERATION OF HYDRATES

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US7585816B2 (en) 2003-07-02 2009-09-08 Exxonmobil Upstream Research Company Method for inhibiting hydrate formation
US8436219B2 (en) 2006-03-15 2013-05-07 Exxonmobil Upstream Research Company Method of generating a non-plugging hydrate slurry
US7958939B2 (en) 2006-03-24 2011-06-14 Exxonmobil Upstream Research Co. Composition and method for producing a pumpable hydrocarbon hydrate slurry at high water-cut
US8430169B2 (en) 2007-09-25 2013-04-30 Exxonmobil Upstream Research Company Method for managing hydrates in subsea production line

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DK0457375T3 (en) 1993-12-27
EP0457375B1 (en) 1993-07-28
NZ237020A (en) 1992-11-25
DE69100197D1 (en) 1993-09-02
NO910619D0 (en) 1991-02-15
EP0457375A1 (en) 1991-11-21
NO180783C (en) 1997-06-18
NO180783B (en) 1997-03-10
DE69100197T2 (en) 1993-12-02
NO910619L (en) 1991-08-19
GB9003617D0 (en) 1990-04-11

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