The formation of gas hydrates in the flowline of oil and gas is a serious problem to the oil and gas industry because formed gas hydrates can cause major equipment damage, significant loss of production, and possible leakage of oil and gas. Traditionally, hydrate plugging has been prevented by adding large quantities of thermodynamic inhibition chemicals such as methanol or mono-ethylene glycol to the flowline. The effectiveness of these inhibitors is well known, but large concentrations are needed, which sometimes impact project economics. Therefore, the paradigm to prevent hydrate blockages has recently shifted to the time-dependent hydrate management using Low Dosage Hydrate Inhibitors (LDHIs), such as Kinetic Hydrate Inhibitors (KHIs) and Anti-Agglomerants (AAs).
