Self-Preservation of Gas Hydrate Particles Suspended in Crude Oils and Liquid Hydrocarbons: Role of Preparation Method, Dispersion Media, and Hydrate Former

Abstract

The effect of self-preservation of small (few dozens of micrometers) methane hydrate particles in suspensions of a hydrate in crude oils was discussed in our previous work (A. S. Stoporev et al., Energy Fuels, 2014, 28, 794–802). In this work, we present new experimental data on (1) self-preservation of methane hydrate suspensions prepared with the use of different experimental methods, (2) self-preservation of methane hydrate suspended in different hydrocarbons and oil + hydrocarbon mixtures, and (3) self-preservation of gas hydrate-in-oil suspensions formed by different hydrate forming gases. It has been demonstrated that the efficiency of self-preservation of methane hydrate particles can be strongly increased by mixing with crude oil. The powder of methane hydrate with particle sizes of 50–150 μm was mixed with crude oil under conditions providing the hydrate stability (1 °C, pressure of >3 MPa). The oil was mixed with the hydrate by vigorous shaking. Furthermore, the sample of the hydrate suspension ...