Optimization Strategies of Production Parameters to Prevent Hydrate Reformation in Marine Gas Hydrate Production System

Abstract

In recent decades, the development of natural gas hydrates has become a research hotspot of scholars all over the world. However, the decomposed gas and water in marine gas hydrate production system may regenerate gas hydrates due to the low-temperature and high-pressure environment in seafloor. In this study, a transient temperature and pressure calculating model was established to predict the risk of hydrate reformation in production pipelines during offshore natural gas hydrate development. Using the proposed model, the region of hydrate reformation in gas hydrate production wells were predicted quantitatively. Meanwhile, the hydrate reformation management strategies through optimization of production design parameters in combination with hydrate inhibitor injection were proposed and discussed in detail. The results indicate that the risk of hydrate reformation is the highest in the drainage pipeline (DP); however, the flow in gas-water mixed transportation and gas production pipelines (MTP and GPP) basically does not satisfy the hydrate formation condition. In the process of production well design, adding additional the EH and ESP can fully eliminate the hydrate reformation risk in the DP without using the hydrate inhibitor.