Methane Hydrate Formation 3

Does anyone in the petroleum engineering field have any experience dealing with methane hydrate formation in piping?

In particular, I am seeking information about the rate of formation in high pressure natural gas piping where moisture is present.

 

[yangel]

You can find first information about methane hydrate formation on the next web-sites:

http://www.mines.edu/research/chs/Kinetics.html

http://www.netl.doe.gov/scng/hydrate/about-hydrates/conditions.htm

http://www.llnl.gov/str/Durham.html

 

I have been looking for information on effects of compressing natural gas and water content. Does natural gas at 100 psig and 10 lb / MMSCF, increase in water content as the pressure increases?

 

[booda]

Surf Dancer II,
Excellent information is contained in a book entitled "Hydrates of Hydrocarbons" . Author :Yuri F. Makogon. Publisher : Penn Well Publishing Company,
1421 South Sheridan Road/PO Box 1260
Tulsa, Oklahoma 74101
ISBN 0-87814-718-7
Additionally, There are a number of SPE (Society of Petroleum Engineers)Papers on the subject. Refer to Paper Nos.:SPE 37285 & 49210.These offer methods for dealing with the problem of Hydrate formation.
There is also a paper entitled "Kinetic inhibitors of Natural Gas Hydrates" by J.Long et al of the Colorado School of Mines,Golden , Colorado.If you desire I can fax a copy for you-just send your fax no.

 

[grutnip]

mr bob

the GPSA book (mines a green folder) has an excellent nomograph in it on the water content of nat gas which you can draw pretty process lines all over and visibly see what is happening saturated water content wise. It is in silly units tho

dave

 

[DrillEng]

All,

Typically the problem is nipped in the bud by glycol injection upstream of your pt of most energy dissipation (choke, pipe reduction etc). The hydrates will form over a certain pressure/temp regime and are mostly seen at areas of large pressure/temp reductions. By injecting glycol you will reduce the freezing pt of the free water to an area outside the operating envelope of your facility.


Regards

DrillEng

 

[25362]

Another source could be the Oil & Gas Journal, Aug.30, 1993: Method predicts hydrates for high-pressure gas streams by Mahmood Moshfeghian et al.

 

[GasMaggot]

321Bob,

In short, no. Actually as pressure increases(say via compression)if temperature remains constant then the water content would actually decrease due to condensation if the gas stream is routed through a separator.