Multi-tail hydrate inhibitors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10364385-B2
Application number	US-201816049957-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 31, 2018
Priority date	May 5, 2014
Publication date	Jul 30, 2019
Grant date	Jul 30, 2019

Abstract

Low-dosage hydrate inhibitor (“LDHI”) compounds comprising multiple lipophilic tails and a hydrophilic head may be employed into fluids to inhibit agglomeration of hydrates, among other things. Suitable hydrophilic heads may include quaternary or tertiary ammonium cation moieties, and combinations thereof. Such LDHI compounds in some embodiments may include reaction products of DETA and/or other amines, fatty acid(s), and, optionally, alkyl halide(s). Compounds according to some embodiments may be employed in fluids in various environments, such as a conduit penetrating a subterranean formation, or a conduit carrying fluid in an industrial setting.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A composition comprising:
at least one compound having the structural formula:

wherein each of R 1 and R 2 is a C 1 to C 50 hydrocarbon chain;
wherein each of R 3 and R 4 is independently selected from the group consisting of: hydrogen and a C 1 to C 10 hydrocarbon chain; and
wherein X is an anion selected from the group consisting of a bromide, a carboxylate, an organic sulfonate, a hydroxide, and any combination thereof; and

at least one solvent selected from the group consisting of: toluene, xylene, methanol, isopropyl alcohol, glycol, and any combination thereof.

2. The composition of claim 1 , wherein each of R 1 and R 2 is a C 1 to C 50 hydrocarbon chain resulting from reaction between an amine having structure H 2 N—CH 2 —NH—CH 2 —NH 2 and a fatty acid.

3. The composition of claim 2 , wherein the fatty acid is selected from the group consisting of: corn oil, canola oil, and any combination thereof.

4. The composition of claim 1 , wherein R 3 is a C 4 to C 8 hydrocarbon chain.

5. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the compound is present in the composition in an amount equal to about 0.1 to about 3.0% volume based on a water cut of the composition.

6. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition has a water cut of about 30% to about 50%.

7. The composition of claim 1 , wherein:
R 3 is a C 4 to C 8 hydrocarbon chain; and
X is a bromide anion.

8. A composition comprising a fluid and a low dosage hydrate inhibitor additive comprising:
at least one compound having the structural formula:

wherein each of R 1 and R 2 is a C 1 to C 50 hydrocarbon chain;
wherein each of R 3 and R 4 is independently selected from the group consisting of: hydrogen and a C 1 to C 10 hydrocarbon chain; and
wherein X is an anion selected from the group consisting of a bromide, a carboxylate, an organic sulfonate, a hydroxide, and any combination thereof; and

at least one solvent selected from the group consisting of: toluene, xylene, methanol, isopropyl alcohol, glycol, and any combination thereof.

9. The composition of claim 8 , wherein each of R 1 and R 2 is a C 1 to C 50 hydrocarbon chain resulting from reaction between an amine having structure H 2 N—CH 2 —NH—CH 2 —NH 2 and a fatty acid.

10. The composition of claim 9 , wherein the fatty acid is selected from the group consisting of: corn oil, canola oil, and any combination thereof.

11. The composition of claim 8 , wherein R 3 is a C 4 to C 8 hydrocarbon chain.

12. The composition of claim 8 , wherein the low dosage hydrate inhibitor additive is present in the composition in an amount equal to about 0.1 to about 3.0% volume based on a water cut of the composition.

13. The composition of claim 8 , wherein the composition has a water cut of about 30% to about 50%.

14. The composition of claim 8 , wherein the fluid is selected from the group consisting of: water, a gas, a liquid hydrocarbon, and any combination thereof.

15. The composition of claim 8 , wherein:
R 3 is a C 4 to C 8 hydrocarbon chain; and
X is a bromide anion.

Assignees

• Multi Chem Group Llc

Inventors

• Zhao Funian
• Sun Yanqiu
• Qu Liangwei
• Acosta Erick J

Classifications

• C09K8/52 Primary

  Compositions for preventing, limiting or eliminating depositions, e.g. for cleaning · CPC title

• C09K8/035

  Organic additives · CPC title

• C07C233/36

  having the carbon atom of the carboxamide group bound to a hydrogen atom or to a carbon atom of an acyclic saturated carbon skeleton · CPC title

• C09K2208/22

  Hydrates inhibition by using well treatment fluids containing inhibitors of hydrate formers · CPC title