Low Dosage Hydrate Inhibitors
In 1992, the European Consortium for Hydrate Research and Inhibitor Selection (EUCHARIS) was established to order to evaluate the performance, capabilities and limitations of the low dosage hydrate inhibitors originally developed by BP and Institut Français du Pétrole (IFP) as potential replacements for methanol and glycol. The consortium comprised seven oil & gas companies and five technology providers.
The scope of work included laboratory work to understand the physical chemistry of how the inhibitors worked, testing in both small-and large-scale flow loops and subsequent field trials. The data generated was subsequently incorporated into commercial software in order to aid selection and estimate required dosage rates. Tests were conducted on gas, gas condensate and black oil systems.
| Without inhibitor | With inhibitor |
(Images © IFP)
The project ran for five years and was concluded successfully. Subsequently, the Hydrate Forum was established with membership expanded to other oil & gas companies, researchers and chemical suppliers in order to share knowledge and experience. Today, a range of chemicals are commercially available from all of the major suppliers and are an accepted means of hydrate control.
