Investigating the dynamics of gas hydrates in a gas dominant flow loop*
Y. Seo A , M. Di Lorenzo A and G. Sanchez-Soto ACSIRO Earth Science and Resource Engineering.
The APPEA Journal 51(2) 734-734 https://doi.org/10.1071/AJ10114
Published: 2011
Abstract
Offshore pipelines transporting hydrocarbon fluids have to be operated with great care to avoid problems related to flow assurance. Of these possible problems, gas hydrate is dreaded as it poses the greatest risk of plugging offshore pipelines and other production systems. As the search for oil and natural gas goes into deeper and colder offshore fields, the strategies for gas hydrate mitigation are evolving to the management of hydrate risks rather than costly complete prevention.
CSIRO has been developing technologies that will facilitate the production of Australian deepwater gas reserves. One of its research programs is a recently commissioned investigation into the dynamic behaviour of gas hydrates in gas pipelines using a pilot-scale 1 inch and 40 m long flow loop.
This work will provide experimental results conducted in the flow loop, designed to investigate the hydrate formation characteristics in steady state and transient flow. For a given hydrodynamic condition in steady state flow, the formation and subsequent agglomeration and deposition of hydrate particles appear to occur more severely as the subcooling condition is increasing.
Transient flow during a shut-in and restart operation represents a more complex scenario for hydrate formation. Although hydrates develop as a thin layer on the surface of water during the shut-in period, most of the water is quickly converted to hydrate upon restart, forming hydrate laden slurry that is transported through the pipeline by the gas flow. These results could provide valuable insights into the present operation of offshore gas pipelines.
Dr Yutaek Seo is a gas hydrates specialist at CSIRO Earth Science and Resource Engineering and has many years of experience in gas hydrates research. In his role, Dr Seo researches and develops innovative technologies for flow assurance, including next generation hydrate inhibitors. Since completing his PhD at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, he has led and worked with research teams, collaborating with both academic and industry partners in gas hydrates research. Through his previous gas hydrate-related research, Dr Seo has gained extensive knowledge of gas hydrate synthesis, characterisation, thermodynamics, the physical properties of gas hydrates and their effect on flow assurance, natural resources and other industrial application areas. |
Mauricio Di Lorenzo joined the CSIRO gas hydrates team after a recent secondment to the Institut Français Du Pétrole (IFP), where he was involved in developing a code to simulate the dynamic behaviour of hydrates in gas pipelines and assess the risk of pipeline blockage. At CSIRO Earth Science and Resource Engineering, Mr Di Lorenzo is involved in testing the capability of CSIRO’s Hytra loop facility, designed to study gas hydrate formation and behaviour in gas-dominant flows. He collaborates with a multidisciplinary group in CSIRO to develop relative permeability modifiers to assist in controlling water production in oil wells. He has previously spent 13 years working as a research scientist, focusing mainly on the physico-chemical characterisation of production fluids and drilling fluids. His expertise includes oil and gas thermodynamics, multiphase flow in pipelines, formulation of drilling and workover fluids and properties of dispersed and colloidal systems. |
Gerardo Sanchez-Soto is a chemical engineer with a Master’s degree (Universidad de los Andes, Vzla) and PhD in chemical engineering (Birmingham University, UK). In 1986 he joined PDVSA Intevep working in the Orimulsion Technology Group. During that period, he was project leader and group leader of technical areas related to emulsion technology and the commercialisation of technologies. In 2005 he joined CSIRO Petroleum working as the leader of the Near Wellbore Characterisation project. He is now leader of the subsea and well technology group stream, focused on the development of new technologies for offshore gas fields. His areas of interest are hydrates in flow assurance, compact separation technologies and production optimisation. |
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