EXAMINATION PROCESS FOR THE IN SITU DETERMINATION OF RATE OF FEEDING AN INHIBITOR INTO A GAS PIPELINE FOR PREVENTING HYDRATE FORMATION
First Claim
1. Examination process for replicating hydrate forming conditions in a gas pipeline and monitoring the effect of a low dosage hydrate inhibitor (LDHI) in suppressing hydrate formation at temperatures and pressures encountered in gas pipelines for dynamically determining LDHI feed rate for inhibition of hydrate formation comprising the steps of:
- diverting from a gas well a sample gas stream at a preselected rate;
introducing the diverted gas stream into a gas conduit through an inlet of the gas conduit;
feeding LDHI into the diverted gas stream at one or more predetermined rates to produce a LDHI-containing gas stream;
introducing the LDHI-containing gas stream into a coolable portion of the gas conduit at a predetermined pressure, which coolable portion is provided with pressure sensors along the coolable portion;
cooling the LDHI-containing gas stream passing through the coolable portion of the gas conduit by cooling the coolable portion to a predetermined temperature; and
monitoring pressure of the LDHI-containing gas stream passing through the coolable portion of the gas conduit for a predetermined time period;
whereby a substantially uniform pressure drop along the coolable portion of the gas conduit during the predetermined time period indicates a LDHI feed rate sufficient to suppress hydrate formation at the predetermined temperature.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention relates to an examination process for replicating hydrate forming conditions in a gas pipeline and monitoring the effect of a low dosage hydrate inhibitor (LDHI) in suppressing hydrate formation at temperatures encountered in gas pipelines for dynamically determining LDHI feed rate for inhibition of hydrate formation comprising the steps of:
- diverting from a gas well a sample gas stream at a preselected rate;
- introducing the diverted gas stream into a gas conduit through an inlet of the gas conduit;
- feeding LDHI into the diverted gas stream at one or more predetermined rates to produce a LDHI-containing gas stream;
- introducing the LDHI-containing gas stream into a coolable portion of the gas conduit, which coolable portion is provided with pressure sensors along the coolable portion;
- cooling the LDHI-containing gas stream passing through the coolable portion of the gas conduit to a predetermined temperature; and
- monitoring pressure of the LDHI-containing gas stream passing through the coolable portion of the gas conduit for a predetermined time range being at least as long as the gas residence time within the gas pipeline;
whereby a substantially uniform pressure drop along the coolable portion of the gas conduit during the predetermined time range indicates a LDHI feed rate sufficient to suppress hydrate formation at the predetermined temperature.
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Citations
28 Claims
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1. Examination process for replicating hydrate forming conditions in a gas pipeline and monitoring the effect of a low dosage hydrate inhibitor (LDHI) in suppressing hydrate formation at temperatures and pressures encountered in gas pipelines for dynamically determining LDHI feed rate for inhibition of hydrate formation comprising the steps of:
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diverting from a gas well a sample gas stream at a preselected rate; introducing the diverted gas stream into a gas conduit through an inlet of the gas conduit; feeding LDHI into the diverted gas stream at one or more predetermined rates to produce a LDHI-containing gas stream; introducing the LDHI-containing gas stream into a coolable portion of the gas conduit at a predetermined pressure, which coolable portion is provided with pressure sensors along the coolable portion; cooling the LDHI-containing gas stream passing through the coolable portion of the gas conduit by cooling the coolable portion to a predetermined temperature; and monitoring pressure of the LDHI-containing gas stream passing through the coolable portion of the gas conduit for a predetermined time period; whereby a substantially uniform pressure drop along the coolable portion of the gas conduit during the predetermined time period indicates a LDHI feed rate sufficient to suppress hydrate formation at the predetermined temperature. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification