Corrosion Mitigation With Gas-Hydrate Inhibitors

Abstract

Abstract Gas production and transportation pose challenges for operators. Unprocessed gas streams in production and flow lines containing brine and hydrogen sulfide are particularly corrosive and susceptible to forming hydrates and scale deposits. Methanol is often added to such streams for hydrate prevention; however, methanol increases the corrosion tendencies of pipes and equipment because it can deactivate some Corrosion Inhibitors (CI) and adds oxygen to the system. As a result, if hydrates are controlled with methanol, the system requires extra amounts of properly selected corrosion inhibitors to counteract the oxygen induced accelerated corrosion. Corrosion rates of tubular steel exposed to sweet and sour brines were investigated. The sweet conditions contained carbon dioxide saturated brine, methanol, corrosion and gas hydrate inhibitors. Hydrogen sulfide was added to the system to create a sour environment. Methanol and hydrogen sulfide present in wet gas streams create an environment difficult for corrosion control; they accelerate corrosion rates to the point of rendering some commercial corrosion inhibitors unsuitable for corrosion protection. It was discovered that some gas hydrate inhibitors offer both, hydrates and corrosion protection. In addition it was found that the corrosion inhibiting properties of these gas hydrate inhibitors were enhanced in the presence of hydrogen sulfide. The dual action of the Low Dosage Hydrate Inhibitor (LDHI) described here can limit or even eliminate Corrosion Inhibitors in highly corrosive methanol containing sour gas/water streams; thus, LDHI application improves production and transportation economy by replacing high volumes of methanol with less costly volumes of LDHI and providing additional operational savings on CI.