Pet.Sci.

(2013)10:97-105

97

DOI 10.1007/s12182-013-0255-8

A study of hydrate plug formation in

a subsea natural gas pipeline using
DQRYHOKLJKSUHVVXUHRZORRS
Li Wenqing1, Gong Jing1 , L Xiaofang1, Zhao Jiankui2, Feng Yaorong3 and
Yu Da1
Beijing Key Laboratory of Urban Oil and Gas Distribution Technology, China University of Petroleum, Beijing 102249,
China
2
China National Oil and Gas Exploration and Development Corporation, Beijing 100034, China
3
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1

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Abstract: The natural gas pipeline from Platform QK18-1 in the southwest of Bohai Bay to the
onshore processing facility is a subsea wet gas pipeline exposed to high pressure and low temperature
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DQGDJJORPHUDWLRQ$QHZKLJKSUHVVXUHRZORRSZDVGHYHORSHGWRLQYHVWLJDWHK\GUDWHSOXJIRUPDWLRQ
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LQXHQFHVRISUHVVXUHDQGLQLWLDORZUDWHZHUHDOVRVWXGLHG([SHULPHQWDOUHVXOWVLQGLFDWHGWKDWZKHQWKH
RZUDWHZDVEHORZNJKJDVK\GUDWHVZRXOGIRUPDQGWKHQSOXJWKHSLSHOLQHHYHQDWDORZZDWHU
FRQWHQWRIDZDWHURLOHPXOVLRQ)XUWKHUPRUHVRPHSUDFWLFDOVXJJHVWLRQVZHUHPDGHIRUGDLO\
management of the subsea pipeline.

Key words:1DWXUDOJDVK\GUDWHEORFNDJHRZDVVXUDQFHKLJKSUHVVXUHORRSZDWHUFXWRZUDWH

1 Introduction
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gas is transported in subsea pipelines at low temperature
and high pressure. The low temperature and high pressure
conditions may cause natural gas and water transported in
the pipelines to form gas hydrates. Upon formation, hydrate
accumulation and agglomeration eventually form a slug,
EORFNLQJ WKH IORZ LQ WKH SLSHOLQHV 7KHUHIRUH PRUH DQG
more attention has been paid to developing flow assurance
VWUDWHJLHV WR SUHYHQW K\GUDWH SOXJ IRUPDWLRQ $QGHUVVRQ
and Gudmundsson, 1999; 2006; Gaillard et al, 1999;
Gudmundsson and Graff, 2003; Ning et al, 2007; Wang et
DO  *UHDYHV HW DO  'RQJ HW DO  %DODNLQ
et al, 2010a; 2010b; 2010c). Unfortunately, little research
is focused on the phenomena involved in a hydrate plug
IRUPDWLRQ GXH WR WKH VWULFW UHTXLUHPHQWV IRU H[SHULPHQWDO
HTXLSPHQWDQGFRQGLWLRQVHVSHFLDOO\RQDQLQGXVWULDOVFDOH
6LQFHWKH&HQWHUIRU+\GUDWH5HVHDUFKDWWKH&RORUDGR
6FKRRORI0LQHVKDGEHHQGHYHORSLQJDK\GUDWHIRUPDWLRQ
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*Corresponding author. email: ydgj@cup.edu.cn
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to provide an estimate of where and approximately when a
hydrate plug may form in collaboration with the SPT Group.
%R[DOOHWDODSHUIRUPHGRZORRSWHVWVWRYHULI\WKH
hydrate formation model and to investigate the effect of
experimental variables on the plugging behavior of hydrate
formation in water-in-oil emulsions. Davies et al (2010)
developed a model to predict hydrate plug formation by
studying the mass and heat transfer resistances to hydrate
formation in oil-dominated systems, and the revised hydrate
formation model had been validated on both laboratory and
industrial scales. Emmanuel et al (2008) presented the effects
RINH\YDULDEOHVRQWKHSOXJJLQJWHQGHQF\RIPRGHOXLGVDQG
crude oil systems by conducting tests in the flow assurance
ORRS )$/ RI 7XOVD XQGHU VWHDG\VWDWH DQG VWRSVWDUW
conditions. Test results indicated that the plugging behavior
of oil system is dependent on these variables and the oil-water
chemical properties. Nevertheless, up to now there seldom
KDV EHHQ V\VWHPDWLF ZRUN UHODWLQJ H[SHULPHQWDO UHVHDUFK
into real plugging practices, and the results are also system
GHSHQGHQW PDNLQJ WKH UHOLDELOLW\ RI WKRVH UHVXOWV WR WKH
DFWXDOFRQGLWLRQVTXHVWLRQDEOH7KHUHIRUHLWLVQHFHVVDU\DQG
meaningful to perform relevant studies based on real hydrate
EORFNDJHLQFLGHQWV,QWKLVSDSHUDW\SLFDOEORFNDJHDVEHORZ
ZDVVWXGLHGE\XVLQJDQRYHOKLJKSUHVVXUHRZORRS

Pet.Sci.(2013)10:97-105

98

2 Theoretical and experimental analyses of

gas samples
To determine phase distribution in the pipeline, three gas
VDPSOHVZHUHWDNHQDWWKHLQOHWRIWKHVXEVHDJDVSLSHOLQHRQ
Platform QK18-1, and their compositions are listed in Table 1.
The phase envelope of the gas mixture was obtained from the
3HQJ5RELQVRQ35HTXDWLRQRIVWDWH3HQJDQG5RELQVRQ
1976) and four calculated values were verified from
experimental data, as shown in Fig. 1. This indicated that the
calculated results were in good agreement with experimental
results. Therefore, the phase envelope may be used to
predict the phase state of the gas mixture transported in the
gas pipeline under various operating conditions. Due to the
fact that the natural gas under pipeline operating conditions
WHPSHUDWXUH  & SUHVVXUH  03D ZDV LQ WKH
WZRSKDVHUHJLRQWKHUHPD\EHOLTXLGK\GURFDUERQVLQWKH
SLSHOLQHZKLFKZDVFRQUPHGE\WKHOLTXLGVDPSOHREVHUYHG
LQWKHSLSHOLQH$VDPSOLQJDQDO\VLV)LJVKRZHGWKDWWKH
OLTXLGFRQWDLQHGJDVFRQGHQVDWHVDQGIUHHZDWHUZKLFKZDV
similar to the problem encountered in the West-East Gas
Pipeline described in 2005 (Zhao et al, 2009).
)UHHZDWHUZDVIRXQGLQWKHDFFXPXODWHGOLTXLGVDPSOHV
so the gas (methane) in the pipeline might combine with
water to form hydrates under specific thermodynamic
conditions. In our laboratory, a sapphire autoclave was used
to investigate whether the reaction occurred and hydrate
formation conditions were measured using an isothermal
pressure search method.
The two-step hydrate formation mechanism proposed

Table 1 The composition of gas samples

PRO

Sample

Component

$YHUDJH

S1

S2

S3

C1

87.1

86.6

87.0

86.9

C2

6.06

5.86

6.09

6.00

C3

3.23

3.20

3.36

3.26

i-C4

0.634

0.644

0.655

0.644

n-C4

1.11

1.12

1.15

1.13

i-C5

0.33

0.277

0.343

0.317

n-C5

0.249

0.256

0.217

0.241

C6

0.264

0.37

0.315

0.316

CO2

0.716

0.653

0.735

0.705

N2

0.307

1.02

0.135

0.487

Sum

100

100

100

100

14
Calculated values
Experimental data

12

10

Pressure, MPa

In the southwest of Bohai Bay, the subsea gas pipeline

between the QK18-1 central platform and the onshore natural
JDVSURFHVVLQJSODQWLVDERXWNPORQJ7KHPDLQPHGLXP
transported was wet gas containing light hydrocarbon
and vapor, and the flow rate was about 9,500 Sm3/h. The
operation temperature and pressure of the pipeline was 5-45
&DQG03DUHVSHFWLYHO\2QWK)HEUXDU\
there was something wrong in the pipeline between Platform
QK18-1 and the Boxi processing plant. The inlet pressure
UHDFKHGDVKLJKDV03DWKHQRUPDOLQOHWSUHVVXUHZDV
03DDQGWKHIORZUDWHRIWKHVXEVHDSLSHOLQHGURSSHG
sharply. Through adjusting the inlet and outlet pressures and
the injection of methanol both upstream and downstream,
WKHJDVWUDQVSRUWDWLRQZDVEDUHO\PDLQWDLQHG+RZHYHUWKH
flow rate and the pressure fluctuated rapidly (the transient
RZUDWHZDVP3KJUHDWO\LQXHQFLQJWKHQRUPDO
JDVWUDQVSRUWDWLRQ%DVHGRQWKHDQDO\VLVRIWKHDFWXDOZRUN
conditions, it was inferred that three reasons may have led to
the increased inlet pressure, which are listed as follows:
1) There were hydrate plugs in the subsea pipeline.
/LTXLGVDFFXPXODWHGWRRPXFKLQWKHSLSHOLQHDQGWKHQ
the pressure drop along the pipeline increased.
$SLJORVWLQWKHSLSHOLQHEORFNHGWKHSLSHOLQH
$FFRUGLQJWRWKHUHFRUGVRISLJJLQJRSHUDWLRQWKHUHZDV
no pig lost in the pipeline, but in the processing plant a great
DPRXQWRIOLTXLGZDVGLVFKDUJHG,QWKLVSDSHUWKHRUHWLFDODQG
experimental research is done to further investigate hydrate
plug formation in gas transportation pipelines.

0
-160

-140

-120

-100

-80

-60

-40

-20

20

40

60

Temperature, C
Fig. 13KDVHHQYHORSHRIWKHJDVVDPSOHWDNHQIURPWKHVXEVHDSLSHOLQH

by Chen and Guo for gas hydrate formation was adopted

as the conceptual picture. The first step is the formation of
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reaction and the second step is the adsorption of gas
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The natural gas hydrate formation curve was predicted by the
Chen-Guo model (Chen and Guo, 1996; 1998).
Fig. 3 showed that the simulation results were in good
agreement with experimental values. This model could be
used to predict formation conditions of hydrates in the subsea
JDVSLSHOLQH%\XVLQJFRPPHUFLDOVRIWZDUH3,3(6,0WKH
pressure and temperature values along the pipeline were
simulated. Then, the hydrate formation pressure values
at simulated temperatures of each pipeline section were
calculated from the Chen-Guo model, as shown in Fig. 4.
The results indicated that most of the simulated pressures
were above the hydrate formation pressure. So if any free
water existed in the pipeline, gas hydrates would be formed.
Therefore, it was reasonable to ascribe the cause of this
LQFLGHQWWRK\GUDWHEORFNDJHLQWKHSLSHOLQH

Pet.Sci.(2013)10:97-105

100
T07
P05

Instrument codes
P: Pressure transducer

Separator

DP: Differential pressure

T: Thermometer

Ft02

T08
FBRM prob
(up-flow of dip
section)
P01

Magnetic centrifugal pump

T01

Depressuring valve

T02
P02

NDR1

Gas charge line

DP4

Coolant Jacket
bath

P03

P07

DP01

P04

Sight glass

Gas supply
line

T03

NDR2

Liguid charge line

T06

Mixer

Ft01

Ft03

NDR: Nuclear densitometer

Ft: Mass flow meter

DP02

Coolant
bath

Sight glass

T05

P06
Buffer tank

Coolant
bath
Chiller

DP03

Coolant
bath

T04

Gas supply
Compressor

Fig. 56FKHPDWLFRIWKHKLJKSUHVVXUHK\GUDWHRZORRSVXSSRUWHGE\&122&5HVHDUFK,QVWLWXWHLQ

3.2 Fluids
'HLRQL]HGZDWHUGLHVHORLODQGQDWXUDOJDVIURPWKH
FLW\QHWZRUNZHUHXVHGWRVLPXODWHWKHPL[WXUHIORZLQJLQ
gas pipelines in all tests. The dry gas composition is listed
LQ7DEOH7KHWRWDOYROXPHRIWKHOLTXLGPL[WXUHLQFOXGLQJ
ZDWHUDQGGLHVHORLORZLQJLQWKHORRSZDVP3, with
DZDWHUFRQWHQW7KHK\GUDWHIRUPDWLRQFXUYHREWDLQHG
from the Chen-Guo model is shown in Fig. 6.

3.3 Experimental procedures

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as much as possible, hydrate formation and plug formation
tests were performed at a constant pumping speed and a
constant static pressure. The experimental procedures are as
follows.
$WRWDORIP3OLTXLGPL[WXUHZLWKDZDWHU
content was injected into the separator. The flow loop

25

20

Pressure, MPa

It provided online monitoring of the evolution of objects

(droplets, bubbles and solid particles) transporting inside
WKH IORZ 7KH PHDVXUH SULQFLSOH RI WKH HTXLSPHQW KDG
been described elsewhere (Pauchard et al, 2007; Boxall et
DO E 'DUERXUHW HW DO $V UHFRPPHQGHG IRU D
UHSUHVHQWDWLYHVDPSOLQJRIWKHSDUWLFOHVL]HGLVWULEXWLRQWKLV
SDUWLFOHVL]HDQDO\]HUZDVLQVWDOOHGLQDVWUDLJKWYHUWLFDOSLSH
which was ahead of the inlet of the test loop. The window
RIWKHSUREHFXWWKHRZVWUHDPOLQHVDWDQDQJOHRIDQG
UHDFKHGWKHFHQWUHRIWKHSLSH7KH)%50SUREHZDVXVHGWR
estimate the initial water droplet (DpVL]HLQVLGHWKHXLGDQG
to follow the hydrate particle agglomeration with time. The
PHDQVTXDUHZHLJKWHGFKRUGOHQJWKFRXOGJLYHPRUHZHLJKW
to longer chord length and it was particularly well adapted to
agglomeration phenomena.

15

10

0
0

10

15

20

25

30

35

Temperature, C
Fig. 6+\GUDWHIRUPDWLRQFXUYHIRUWKHFLW\QDWXUDOJDV

ZDV WKHQ SUHVVXUL]HG WR  03D DQG WKH WHPSHUDWXUH ZDV
FRQWUROOHG DW  &7KH PL[WXUH ZDV WKHQ VDWXUDWHG ZLWK
natural gas under these conditions.
2) The gas-saturated water/oil mixture was circulated at a
FRQVWDQWRZUDWHNJKWRIRUPDKRPRJHQHRXVDQG
VWDELOL]HGHPXOVLRQ
3) Under constant pressure and constant flow rate (850
NJKWKHWHPSHUDWXUHZDVGHFUHDVHGDWDFRQVWDQWUDWHDIWHU
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cooling-down period, gas was forced into the separator from
WKHJDVF\OLQGHUVWRPDLQWDLQWKHV\VWHPSUHVVXUHDW03D
4) In the hydrate formation process, the temperature,
SUHVVXUHRZUDWHGHQVLW\DQGFKRUGOHQJWKVZHUHPHDVXUHG
and recorded in real time. In this study, P05 and T05, shown
in Fig. 5, were chosen as the pressure and temperature points

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3HW6FL

102

4.0

20

900

1000

18

870

900

16

840

800

810

700

Pressure
Temperature

Tf

Density
Flow rate

3.0

10
8

Te

780
750
720

600
500
400

690

300

660

200

630

100

600

Flow rate, kg/h

12

Temperature, C

Pressure, MPa

14

Density, kg/m3

3.5

2.5

Hydrate formation equilibrium temperature at 3.2 MPa

4

Tb

Tf

2
2.0
0

5500

11000

16500

22000

27500

33000

38500

44000

49500

55000

Time, s
Fig. 73UHVVXUHGHQVLW\WHPSHUDWXUHDQGIORZUDWHDVIXQFWLRQVRIWLPHGXULQJQDWXUDOK\GUDWH
IRUPDWLRQLQLWLDORZUDWHNJK03DZDWHUFRQWHQW

4.5

Tf

Pressure

Density

Temperature

Flow rate

Pressure, MPa

4.0

20

900

1000

18

870

900

16

840

800

14

810

700

12

3.5
Hydrate formation equilibrium temperature at 4.1 MPa

Te

10

3.0

Tf
2.5
Tb

2.0
0

2750

5500

8250

11000

13750

16500

19250

22000

24750

780
750

720

600
500

400

690

300

660

200

630

100

600

0
27500

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