Unexpected formation of sII methane hydrate in some water-in-oil emulsions: Different reasons for the same phenomenon

Abstract

The structures of methane hydrate obtained from water emulsions in oils of four types, n-heptane and n-decane were studied. Surfactant Span 80 was used to stabilize emulsions of water in n-heptane and n-decane. Hydrate synthesis was carried out by two methods, namely rapid cooling of a water-in-oil emulsion saturated with methane and long-term isothermal holding of this emulsion. It was shown that different methods of hydrate preparation may result in formation of gas hydrates with different structures. Rapid cooling of three of these emulsions (in two oils and n-heptane) saturated with methane to a temperature below −35 °C leads not only to the formation of the expected methane hydrate of cubic structure I (sI) but also to the cubic structure II (sII) hydrate. In case of oils, the formation of the hydrates in the emulsions seemed to occur at a temperature below the pour point of the corresponding oil. Experiments were carried out with the cooling rate about 14 °C/min at initial methane pressures near 12, 10 and 7 MPa. More detailed investigation showed that in two of these emulsions (in one oil and n-heptane) only sI hydrate is formed during long-term synthesis at 1 °C and methane pressure of 12 MPa. The formed sII hydrate must be metastable. In the case of the emulsion in second oil, the formation of sII hydrate can be related either to the kinetic factor (the formation of metastable hydrate) or to the presence of propane and butanes in the corresponding oil in rather high concentrations. The reason of the metastable phase appearance in the systems under consideration is most likely to be that Span 80 and some kinds of crude oil can inhibit nucleation of sI gas hydrate at the oil – water interface. Thus, some emulsions saturated with methane can be overcooled to a temperature at which the nucleation of sII hydrate is preferable. The data obtained are of interest to understand mechanisms of gas hydrate inhibition/promotion and may provide fresh insight into the influence of crude oils and surfactants on gas hydrate nucleation in water – oil – gas systems.