International Conference on Gas Hydrates (ICGH) (6th : 2008)

A STUDY OF HYDRATE FORMATION AND DISSOCIATION FROM HIGH WATER CUT EMULSIONS AND THE IMPACT ON EMULSION INVERSION. Greaves, David P.; Boxall, John A.; Mulligan, James; Sloan, E. Dendy; Koh, Carolyn A.

Abstract

Methane hydrate formation and dissociation studies from high water content (>60 vol% water) – crude oil emulsions were performed. The hydrate and emulsion system was characterized using two particle size analyzers and conductivity measurements. It was observed that hydrate formation and dissociation from water-in-oil (W/O) emulsions destabilized the emulsion, with the final emulsion formulation favoring a water continuous state following re-emulsification. Hence, following dissociation, the W/O emulsion formed a multiple o/W/O emulsion (60 vol% water) or inverted at even higher water cuts, forming an oil-in-water (O/W) emulsion (68 vol% water). In contrast, hydrate formation and dissociation from O/W emulsions (≥71 vol% water) stabilized the O/W emulsion.

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