Additives for inhibiting the formation of gas hydrates

US7183240B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Clariant Produkte (Deutschland) GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Uwe Dahlmann · Heidelberg, DE
• Michael Feustel · Kelkheim, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 27, 2002
• Grant date: Feb 27, 2007
• Expiry date: Apr 13, 2023

Classification

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

Abstract

The present invention relates to an additive, and its use for inhibiting nucleation, growth and agglomeration of gas hydrates by adding an effective amount of an inhibitor to a multiphasic mixture which tends to hydrate formation and consists of water, gas and optionally condensate, or to a drilling fluid which tends to form gas hydrates. Said inhibitor comprising dialkoxylated quaternary ammonium compounds of the formula 1where R1, R2 are each independently radicals of the formulae—(B)—(O—A)n—O—CO—R5 or —(A—O)n—(C)—CO—O—R5, R3 is C1- to C30-alkyl or C2- to C30-alkenyl, R4 is an organic radical which optionally contains heteroatoms and has from 1 to 100 carbon atoms, R5 is an alkyl or an alkenyl, n is a number from 1 to 20, A is an alkylene group, B is an alkylene group, C is a C1- to C6-alkylene group and X is an anion, are used as gas hydrate inhibitors.