Articles and methods for reducing hydrate adhesion

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10294756-B2
Application number	US-201113218095-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 25, 2011
Priority date	Aug 25, 2010
Publication date	May 21, 2019
Grant date	May 21, 2019

Abstract

This invention relates generally to articles, devices, and methods for gas hydrate mitigation in deep-sea drilling applications. In certain embodiments, hydrate-phobic surfaces are provided that ensure passive enhancement of flow assurance and prevention of catastrophic failures in deep-sea oil and gas operations.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An article for use in a deep sea oil and/or gas recovery operation, the article comprising a surface having receding contact angle of water, θ rec of no less than 100°, wherein the article is a fuel gas line or instrument gas line and wherein the surface is a hydrate-phobic surface that inhibits hydrate adhesion thereupon in the presence of oil and/or gas.

2. The article of claim 1 , wherein the article is an underwater pipeline.

3. The article of claim 1 , wherein the surface comprises a fluoropolymer.

4. The article of claim 3 , wherein the fluoropolymer is a silsesquioxane.

5. The article of claim 3 , wherein the fluoropolymer is a member selected from the group consisting of tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE), fluorinated ethylene-propylene copolymer (FEP), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), perfluoroalkoxy-tetrafluoroethylene copolymer (PFA), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), tetrafluoroethylene perfluoromethylvinylether copolymer (MFA), ethylene-chlorotrifluoroethylene copolymer (ECTFE), ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene copolymer (ETFE), perfluoropolyether, and Tecnoflon.

6. The article of claim 1 , wherein the surface has receding contact angle of water, θ rec , of no less than 110°.

7. An article for use in a deep sea oil and/or gas recovery operation, the article having a surface comprising fluorodecyl polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane, the surface having receding contact angle of water, θ rec of no less than 100°, wherein the article is a fuel gas line or instrument gas line and wherein the surface is a hydrate-phobic surface that inhibits hydrate adhesion thereupon in the presence of oil and/or gas.

8. The article of claim 7 , wherein the surface is a coating.

9. The article of claim 7 , wherein the hydrate-phobic surface is located on an interior wall of an oil and/or gas pipeline extending a distance from a valve in a direction of flow through the pipeline.

10. The article of claim 9 , wherein the hydrate-phobic surface extends at least three meters from a valve in the direction of flow.

11. The article of claim 9 , wherein the valve is located at a Christmas tree of an offshore system.

12. The article of claim 7 , wherein the hydrate-phobic surface is located on an interior wall of a pipeline: (i) extending a first distance along and/or beyond a restriction in a direction of flow through the pipeline; (ii) extending along a fuel gas line in a direction of flow through the pipeline; (iii) extending along an instrument gas line in a direction of flow through the pipeline; (iv) extending a second distance along and/or beyond a valve within a fuel gas line in a direction of flow; (v) a third distance along and/or beyond a valve within an instrument gas line in a direction of flow; (vi) extending a fourth distance along and/or beyond a location of flow-line water accumulation in a direction of flow through the pipeline; (vii) extending a fifth distance along and/or beyond a flow-line low spot in a direction of flow through the pipeline; (viii) extending a sixth distance along and/or beyond a riser in a direction of flow through the pipeline; (ix) extending a seventh distance along and/or beyond a bend in the pipeline in a direction of flow through the pipeline; and/or (x) extending an eighth distance along and/or beyond a change in topography of ocean flow traversed by the pipeline.

13. The article of claim 12 , wherein one or more of the first through eighth distance is at least three meters.

14. The article of claim 7 , wherein the hydrate-phobic surface is located on or about a manifold of an offshore system.

15. The article of claim 7 , wherein the hydrate-phobic surface is located on or about a sensor embedded in a pipeline of an offshore system.

Assignees

• Smith J David
• Varanasi Kripa K
• Mckinley Gareth H
• Cohen Robert E
• Meuler Adam J
• Bralower Harrison L
• Massachusetts Inst Technology

Inventors

• Smith J David
• Varanasi Kripa K
• Mckinley Gareth H
• Cohen Robert E
• Meuler Adam J
• Bralower Harrison L

Classifications

• E21B37/06 Primary

  using chemical means for preventing or limiting {, e.g. eliminating,} the deposition of paraffins or like substances · CPC title