Microscopic and macroscopic evaluation method for dual-effect hydrate inhibitor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12429415-B2
Application number	US-202318260254-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 10, 2023
Priority date	Mar 11, 2022
Publication date	Sep 30, 2025
Grant date	Sep 30, 2025

Abstract

A microscopic and macroscopic evaluation method for a dual-effect hydrate inhibitor is provided. The method is applicable to the performance evaluation of traditional thermodynamic inhibitors and kinetic inhibitors. The present invention comprehensively evaluates the dual-effect hydrate inhibitor microscopically and macroscopically through a microscopic evaluation device and a macroscopic evaluation device, thereby more intuitively and efficiently screening out the dual-effect inhibitor with excellent performance. The present invention explains the action mechanism of the dual-effect inhibitor microscopically, accurately evaluate the effects of the inhibitor in two aspects of particle aggregation and particle adhesion, and provide a theoretical basis for screening the dual-effect inhibitor. Moreover, the present invention can verify the screened inhibitor macroscopically by using a flow evaluation device close to a field working condition to obtain the action effects of the dual-effect inhibitor under different production parameters, so that the comprehensive and multi-angle performance evaluation of the dual-effect inhibitor is achieved.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A microscopic and macroscopic evaluation method for a dual-effect hydrate inhibitor, comprising: comprehensively evaluating the dual-effect hydrate inhibitor microscopically and macroscopically through a microscopic evaluation device and a macroscopic evaluation device, and screening out the dual-effect hydrate inhibitor with excellent performance; wherein
the microscopic evaluation device comprises a micro-mechanical force (MMF) measurement module, a constant-temperature water bath module, a first gas injection module, and a first data collection module, wherein the MMF measurement module comprises a high-pressure cavity, a three-dimensional tilt-shift connecting rod, and a three-dimensional moving platform, the three-dimensional moving platform is arranged in the high-pressure cavity and is connected to the three-dimensional tilt-shift connecting rod, and a position of the three-dimensional moving platform is adjusted through the three-dimensional tilt-shift connecting rod;
two glass fibers are arranged in the high-pressure cavity, a first end of a first glass fiber of the two glass fibers is fixed on an inner wall of the high-pressure cavity, a second end of the first glass fiber is configured to place ice particles, a first end of a second glass fiber of the two glass fibers is fixed on the three-dimensional moving platform, and a second end of the second glass fiber is configured to place the ice particles, liquid drops, or carbon steel;
the constant-temperature water bath module comprises a circulating water bath system, and the high-pressure cavity is arranged in a constant-temperature environment to reach a temperature required by an experiment;
the first gas injection module comprises a first high-pressure gas source, a pipeline of the first high-pressure gas source is connected to the high-pressure cavity through a first pressure reducing valve and a first gas inlet valve, a first pressure gauge is arranged on the pipeline of the first high-pressure gas source, and a first blow-off valve is arranged on the high-pressure cavity;
the first data collection module comprises a microscopic imaging system, a first data collection system, a first temperature sensor, and a first pressure sensor, wherein a visible window is installed on the high-pressure cavity, the microscopic imaging system is aligned with the visible window to observe a microscopic morphology in the high-pressure cavity in real time, the first temperature sensor and the first pressure sensor are connected to the high-pressure cavity and configured to measure a pressure and the temperature in real time, and the microscopic imaging system, the first temperature sensor, and the first pressure sensor are in a signal connection to the first data collection system;
experimental steps of the microscopic evaluation device comprise:
1) experiment preparation stage:
cooling the constant-temperature environment to −7 to −10° C. by using the circulating water bath system, measuring an elasticity coefficient of the two glass fibers required by the experiment, taking the two glass fibers, placing required test liquid drops at a tip of the first glass fiber, preparing the ice particles by liquid nitrogen, and placing the ice particles, the carbon steel, or the liquid drops at the tip of the second glass fiber as required;
2) hydrate particles induction stage:
rapidly putting the ice particles into the high-pressure cavity, opening the first blow-off valve, circulating and ventilating the high-pressure cavity through the first high-pressure gas source to ensure gas in the high-pressure cavity is pure, closing the first blow-off valve, pressurizing to the pressure required by the experiment, inducing a generation of hydrate particles through the ice particles, and marking a moment as an initial moment of the experiment;
3) hydrate particles annealing stage:
raising a temperature of the constant-temperature environment to the temperature required by the experiment and keeping stable for 2 h to ensure shells of the hydrate particles are hard;
4) adhesion force testing stage:
adjusting the three-dimensional moving platform through the three-dimensional tilt-shift connecting rod to enable two measuring objects to be kept on a same horizontal line, then controlling the three-dimensional moving platform to enable the tip of the second glass fiber on the three-dimensional moving platform to slowly approach a tip of the first glass fiber at a constant speed, namely enabling a moving end to gradually approach a fixed end, enabling the moving end to continuously move to press the fixed end and displacing 0.3 mm after the two measuring objects are contacted, keeping the two measuring objects in contact for 10 s, and then slowly pulling apart at the constant speed until the two measuring objects are completely separated;
photographing an image when the two measuring objects are separated by using the microscopic imaging system to obtain a photographed image, measuring a displacement of the fixed end in the photographed image, and converting the displacement into an actual displacement of the fixed end;
calculating a micro-mechanical force between the two measuring objects by using Hooke's law, and repeating the experiment 40 times;
5) slowly releasing the pressure through the first blow-off valve after the experiment is finished;
in the step 1), a process of measuring the elasticity coefficient of the two glass fibers is as follows:
placing a support on an electronic balance, pressing a top end of the support by using the two glass fibers, recording a displacement of a bottom end of the two glass fibers and a reading of the electronic balance, and calculating the elastic coefficient according to the Hooke's law;
in the step 4), after the displacement of the fixed end in the photographed image is measured, the displacement on the photographed image is converted into the actual displacement by using a calibration paper, or the actual displacement is obtained by using an ImageJ software for a processing;
in the step 4), a process of calculating the micro-mechanical force between the two measuring objects is as follows:

F
=

k
·
δ

(
1
)

R
*

=

2
⁢

R
1

⁢

R
2

R
1

+

R
2

(
2
)

Assignees

• Univ China Petroleum East China

Inventors

• Wang Zhiyuan
• Pei Jihao
• Sun Baojiang
• Shan Zhengfeng
• Chen Longqiao
• Zhang Jianbo
• Tong Shikun

Classifications

• E21B37/06

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

• G01N3/08

  by applying steady tensile or compressive forces (G01N3/28 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01N13/02

  Investigating surface tension of liquids · CPC title

• G01N19/04 Primary

  Measuring adhesive force between materials, e.g. of sealing tape, of coating · CPC title

• G01N33/00 Primary

  Investigating or analysing materials by specific methods not covered by groups G01N1/00 - G01N31/00 · CPC title