A Study on Hydrate Inhibition of Marginal Gas Field Development

Abstract

In the marginal gas field development engineering, considering the low gas production with complex reservoir condition, it is difficult to develop independently because of the low economic efficiency. It is usually developed by relying on an existing offshore platform or facility nearby, in which hydrate inhibition is an important issue, and in order to inhibit hydrate formation in the subsea pipeline, hydrate inhibition method should be studied. Based on certain marginal gas field development project in South China Sea, which relies on nearby DPP platform, the paper studies methanol and MEG as inhibitor and application of double-layer insulated subsea pipeline. Finally by technical and economic comparisons, for the first time double-layer insulated pipeline is selected as the hydrate inhibition method to meet requirements of both relying on DPP and achieving better economic benefits, which is expected to provide reference for similar marginal gas field development.