Process for inhibiting hydrates with inorganic electrolytes while producing moist CO/sub 2/ from subterranean reservoirs

Patent · Tue Jul 29 04:00:00 EDT 1986

OSTI ID:5443140

Diaz, Z; Wood, R R

This patent describes a CO/sub 2/-producing process in which moist CO/sub 2/ is produced at high pressure from a subterranean well, is mixed with a hydrate inhibitor and is piped to a facility for drying CO/sub 2/ and subsequently suppling it for use at high pressure. An improvement is described for avoiding the need for producing and piping the CO/sub 2/ at pressure and temperatures maintaining a single phase state, comprising: conducting the producing and piping at pressure and temperature conditions of at least about 500 psia but less than critical conditions and the ambient temperature near the wellhead which convert the fluid being piped to a fluid containing an aqueous liquid phase mixed with a CO/sub 2/-rich liquid phase having a volume which is many times greater than that of the aqueous liquid phase; mixing the so produced moist CO/sub 2/ with sufficient hydrate inhibiter to cause the concentration remaining in the aqueous phase to be sufficient to prevent hydrate formation in spite of the amount of inhibitor which will be partitioned into a CO/sub 2/-rich phase; and using as the inhibitor an inorganic electrolyte hydrate inhibitor which, with respect to the CO/sub 2/-containing fluid being piped, is capable of inhibiting hydrate formation at substantially ambient temperature when present at moderate concentration in the aqueous liquid phase, and is soluble enough in water to provide such a concentration when added to the aqueous liquid phase in the form of an aqueous solution of the inhibitor.

• Assignee: Shell Western E and P, Inc., Houston, TX
• Patent Number(s): US 4602920
• OSTI ID: 5443140
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
AMBIENT TEMPERATURE
AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON DIOXIDE
CARBON DIOXIDE INJECTION
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
DISPERSIONS
ELECTROLYTES
ENERGY SOURCES
ENHANCED RECOVERY
FLUID INJECTION
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
HYDRATES
INHIBITION
MEDIUM PRESSURE
MISCIBLE-PHASE DISPLACEMENT
MIXING
MIXTURES
MOISTURE
OIL WELLS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PETROLEUM
PRESSURE DEPENDENCE
PRODUCTION
QUANTITY RATIO
REAGENTS
RECOVERY
SOLUBILITY
SOLUTIONS
STIMULATION
TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE
WELL STIMULATION
WELLHEADS
WELLS