Method for inhibiting gas hydrate blockage in oil and gas pipelines

US11753576B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• CLARIANT INTERNATIONAL LTD · CH

Inventors

• Scot Harris Bodnar · Houston, US
• Dan Smith · Brampton, CA
• Felix Hoevelmann · Mühldorf, DE
• Corinna Krüger · Kirchheim, DE
• Matthias Krull · Harxheim, DE
• Jonathan James Wylde · The Woodlands, US
• Lisa Greaney Tejada · Spring, US

Key dates

• Filing date: May 28, 2019
• Grant date: Sep 12, 2023
• Expiry date: May 28, 2039

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C09K2208/22
• WIPO field: Basic materials chemistry
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

This invention relates to a method for inhibiting the agglomeration of gas hydrates, comprising the injection of an anti-agglomerant comprising a N,N-dialkyl-ammoniumalkyl fatty acid amide represented by the formula (I)whereinR1 is an alkyl or alkenyl group having from 7 to 21 carbon atoms,R2 and R3 are each independently an alkyl group containing 1 to 10 carbon atoms, or together form an optionally substituted ring having 5 to 10 ring atoms, wherein the ring may carry up to 3 substituents,R4 is hydrogen or an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms,R5 is hydrogen or an optionally substituted hydrocarbyl group having 1 to 17 carbon atoms andA is an alkylene group having two or three carbon atoms, into a fluid comprising gas, water and oil under conditions prone to the formation of gas hydrates,wherein the N,N-dialkyl-ammoniumalkyl fatty acid amide represented by the formula (I) is produced by the condensation reaction of a fatty acid with an N,N-dialkylamino alkyl amine and subsequent neutralization with a carboxylic acid.