Hydrate Slurry Pumpability at High Water-Cut
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current anti-agglomerant technologies are ineffective in producing pumpable hydrocarbon hydrate slurries at high water cuts above 50-60 volume percent, leading to pipeline blockages, as they fail to disperse water in oil effectively, resulting in viscous hydrate slurries that cannot flow.
Innovation Solution
The method involves treating hydrocarbon fluid mixtures with anti-agglomerants and adding water to lower the gas-water ratio, thereby limiting the volume of solid hydrates to be less than the combined volume of oil and unhydrated water, using anti-agglomerants such as diethanolamines and quaternary ammonium salts, and increasing the concentration of thermodynamic inhibitors to achieve a pumpable hydrate slurry in systems with up to 92 volume percent water.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If anti-agglomerant technology is used to prevent hydrate formation, then hydrate blockages are avoided, but the method becomes ineffective at water cuts above 50-60 volume percent
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the fundamental parameter of water cut from a limitation to an enabler by demonstrating that higher water cuts (above 50-60 volume percent) actually improve hydrate slurry pumpability when anti-agglomerants are used. The aqueous phase acts as a lubricant reducing hydrate-hydrate interactions, and the increased water volume provides more liquid to disperse hydrates, preventing pipeline blockages.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the traditionally harmful effect of high water cut (which causes hydrate formation and blockages) into a beneficial effect. The excess water, which was previously considered a problem requiring treatment, becomes a useful lubricant that enhances slurry flowability and prevents hydrate agglomeration in the pipeline.
2Ease of operation
If water cut is increased above 50-60 volume percent, then hydrate slurry viscosity is reduced and pumpability is improved, but current anti-agglomerant products become ineffective
Solution Approach 1:
The patent identifies and changes the critical parameter of water cut from a threshold of 50-60 volume percent (where current products fail) to above this threshold, where the invention succeeds. By operating in the high water cut regime, the patent transforms the system behavior so that hydrate slurries become pumpable and anti-agglomerants remain effective.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extends the applicability of anti-agglomerant technology to cover a universal range of water cuts from low to high (above 50-60 volume percent). The invention makes the anti-agglomerant system universally effective across different water cut conditions by leveraging the beneficial effects of excess water as a lubricant and dispersant.
3Reliability
If thermodynamic inhibitors are used to prevent hydrate formation, then hydrate blockages are prevented, but the cost per barrel of hydrocarbon increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive thermodynamic inhibitors with a cheap, readily available substance - water itself. Instead of adding costly chemical inhibitors to prevent hydrate formation, the invention uses excess production water (which would otherwise be waste) as a free lubricant and dispersant that prevents hydrate blockages without requiring additional chemical purchases.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables the production water to serve itself by performing multiple functions: it acts as a lubricant to reduce hydrate-hydrate interactions, provides dispersion medium to keep hydrates suspended, and prevents pipeline blockages. The system uses its own byproduct (production water) to solve the hydrate problem, eliminating the need for external chemical additions.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach effectively produces pumpable hydrate slurries at high water cuts, preventing pipeline blockages and enabling efficient transportation of hydrocarbon fluids by restricting the degree of aqueous phase conversion to hydrocarbon hydrate, thus overcoming the limitations of existing technologies.
Implementation Method 1
the term 'anti-agglomerants' refers to surface active agents that restrict coalescence of formed hydrocarbon hydrates, promote the pumpability of formed hydrates and retard pipeline plugging by hydrocarbon hydrates
Implementation Method 2
adding water to the hydrocarbon fluid mixture in an amount sufficient to lower the gas-water ratio sufficiently to achieve a pumpable hydrate slurry
Implementation Method 3
Hydrates can form rapidly in pipelines, causing large drifts of solid hydrate that reduce the flow of gas and liquids
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the invention relate to a process for providing a pumpable hydrate slurry in a hydrocarbon pipeline fluid mixture having a water-cut greater than about 50 volume percent. In one or more embodiments the process comprises treating the fluid mixture with an anti-agglomerant and adding water to the fluid mixture in an amount sufficient to lower the gas-water ratio sufficiently to achieve a pumpable hydrate slurry. Also disclosed are methods for producing hydrocarbons utilizing a process for providing a pumpable hydrate slurry in a hydrocarbon pipeline fluid mixture having a water -cut greater than about 50 volume percent.