Application of Soy Lecithin as a Promoter of Methane Hydrate Formation

Abstract

The course towards active development of the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation by fuel-and-energy companies involves the development of new methods and approaches to the storage and transportation of natural gas to reduce the negative impact on the ecosystems of cold regions while maintaining the economic feasibility of their use. This work proposes a method for optimizing the technology for transporting and storing natural gas in the form of gas hydrates using soy lecithin as a promoting additive. Experimental methods showed that the addition of soy lecithin to a concentration of 0.5 wt % is on a par with the most efficient promoter of hydrate formation—the surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate at a concentration of 0.1 wt %. However, a comparison of environmental characteristics demonstrates a clear advantage of soy lecithin. In addition, it was demonstrated that the synthesis of methane hydrate from ground frozen solutions of soy lecithin is at least three times faster than that from liquid solutions.