Use of anti-agglomerants in high gas to oil ratio formations

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9988568-B2
Application number	US-201514610789-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 30, 2015
Priority date	Jan 30, 2015
Publication date	Jun 5, 2018
Grant date	Jun 5, 2018

Abstract

The present invention generally relates to one or more compositions and methods for inhibiting the formation of gas hydrate agglomerates in a fluid. The fluid may be contained, for example, in an oil or gas pipeline or refinery.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for inhibiting gas hydrate agglomeration in a produced fluid, the produced fluid comprising a produced hydrocarbon and produced water, the method comprising adding an effective amount of an anti-agglomerant compound and a process liquid hydrocarbon to the produced fluid to inhibit gas hydrate agglomeration, wherein the process liquid hydrocarbon comprises a recycled and conditioned produced hydrocarbon, wherein the recycled and conditioned produced hydrocarbon is conditioned by cooling the produced hydrocarbon to 3° C. or below thereby removing components forming a solid at about 3° C.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the produced fluid is produced from a subsea reservoir.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the produced hydrocarbon comprises a hydrocarbon gas, a hydrocarbon liquid, or a combination thereof.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the produced hydrocarbon comprises a low-boiling, C 1 -C 5 hydrocarbon gas.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the process liquid hydrocarbon further comprises a refined hydrocarbon.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the refined hydrocarbon comprises fuel oil, diesel, kerosene, gasoline, or a combination thereof.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the refined hydrocarbon comprises diesel.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the recycled and conditioned produced hydrocarbon is produced from a subsea reservoir, conditioned, and recycled to the produced fluid.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein an effective amount of the anti-agglomerant compound is from about 0.1 vol % to about 10 vol % based on the volume of produced water in the produced fluid.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the effective amount of the anti-agglomerant compound is from about 0.1 vol % to about 5 vol %.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the effective amount of the anti-agglomerant compound is from about 0.1 vol % to about 3 vol %.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the produced fluid comprises at least about 55% by volume water.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the produced fluid comprises at least about 60% by volume water.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the produced fluid comprises at least about 70% by volume water.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the recycled and conditioned produced hydrocarbon is added to the produced fluid in an amount to provide a water cut of 70% or less.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the recycled and conditioned produced hydrocarbon is added to the produced fluid in an amount to provide a water cut of 60% or less.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the recycled and conditioned produced hydrocarbon is added to the produced fluid in an amount to provide a water cut of 50% or less.

18. The method of claim 12 wherein the produced fluid comprises at least about 65% by volume water.

Assignees

• Ecolab Usa Inc

Inventors

• Waldvogel John
• Li Qiwei
• Webber Peter
• Gutierrez Andrea
• Sharma Pritesh

Classifications

• C09K2208/22

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

• C09K8/52

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

• C09K8/035 Primary

  Organic additives · CPC title

• E21B21/068

  using chemical treatment · CPC title

• C10L3/107

  Limiting or prohibiting hydrate formation · CPC title