Volume 5: Innovative Solutions for Energy Transitions: Part IV

Rheological of Methane Hydrate Formed from Emulsion Zaixing Liu, Weiguo Liu, Ran Liu, Chen Lang, Yongchen Song,Yanghui Li

Abstract

Methane hydrate formation has been a crucial factor affecting the blockage of in subsea oil and gas transportation pipelines. To study the rheological properties of hydrate slurries, methane hydrate were formed in situ from water-oil emulsion with different water cut (20 vol%-70 vol%). Meanwhile, viscosity measurement and yield stress measurement were conducted with a high-pressure rheometer. Emulsion exhibit a shear-thinning behavior and increase in viscosity under hydrate formation. Hydrate slurry viscosity and yield stress had a significant increase with increasing water volume fraction. And hydrate formed in oil-in-water emulsions were more likely to aggregate and cause blockage than in water-in-oil emulsions.

Keywords flow assurance, methane hydrate, rheology, emulsions, hydrate slurry viscosity