Nucleation of methane hydrate and ice in emulsions of water in crude oils and decane under non-isothermal conditions

• Published in: Chinese journal of chemical engineering Vol. 27; no. 3; pp. 668 - 676
• Main Authors: Stoporev, Andrey S., Svarovskaya, Lidiya I., Strelets, Larisa A., Altunina, Lubov’ K., Villevald, Galina V., Karpova, Tamara D., Rodionova, Tatyana V., Manakov, Andrey Yu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.03.2019; Novosibirsk State University,Pirogova Str.2,Novosibirsk 630090,Russian Federation%Institute of Petroleum Chemistry,Akademichesky ave.,4,Tomsk 634021,Russian Federation%Nikolaev Institute of Inorganic Chemistry SB RAS,Ac.Lavrentiev ave.3,Novosibirsk 630090,Russian Federation; Nikolaev Institute of Inorganic Chemistry SB RAS,Ac.Lavrentiev ave.3,Novosibirsk 630090,Russian Federation
• Subjects: Crude oil; Methane hydrate; Nucleation; Oil dispersive system; Methane hydrate; Nucleation; Crude oil; Oil dispersive system
• ISSN: 1004-9541; 2210-321X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cjche.2018.09.003

Achievable supercooling for the formation of methane hydrate from water emulsions was studied in seven different crude oils and in decane. The experiments were performed under constant rate cooling from +20 to −15 °C and a pressure of methane of 12 MPa. It was demonstrated that the shapes and positions of the resulting survival curves depend on the density, viscosity and dispersive power of oil samples used in the experiments, as well as on the degree of oil oxidation. In addition, results of the experiments on ice freezing under the same emulsions are presented. The results obtained in the work allowed us to discuss the possibility and features of primary and secondary nucleation of the hydrate and ice in the systems under consideration. Average supercooling (ΔT50) resulting in crystallization of methane hydrate in water in oil emulsion is proportional to area of phase contact in the emulsion (S) and density of the oil (d). [Display omitted]