Additives for inhibiting the formation of gas hydrates

US8034748B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Clariant Produkte (Deutschland) GmbH · DE

Inventors

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

Key dates

• Filing date: Jan 26, 2007
• Grant date: Oct 11, 2011
• Expiry date: Feb 17, 2030

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 -(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.