Patent ID: 6152993
Filing Date: 2000-11-28
Classification: C07C,C09K,C10L,F17D,Y02E

Abstract:
A method for inhibiting the plugging of a conduit, the conduit containing a mixture comprising an amount of hydrocarbons having from one to eight carbon atoms and an amount of water wherein the amounts of hydrocarbons and water could form hydrates at conduit temperatures and pressures, the method comprising the steps of:adding to the mixture an amount of a hydrate formation inhibitor component of formula(R.sub.1)(R.sub.2)(R.sub.3)(R.sub.4)A.sup.+ Y.sup.- (I)wherein two of R.sub.1 -R.sub.4 are independentlynormal or branched alkyls having 4 or 5 carbon atoms,two of R.sub.1 -R.sub.4 are independently representing organic moieties having at least 8 carbon atoms,A represents a nitrogen or phosphorus atom,Y represents an anionand wherein at least one of R.sub.1 -R.sub.4 represents a--(CH.sub.2 --CHR.sub.5 --O).sub.p --(CH.sub.2).sub.q --(CHR.sub.6 --CH.sub.2).sub.r --(CH.sub.2 --CHR.sub.7).sub.s --(CHR.sub.8).sub.t --O--C(O)--R.sub.9 moiety wherein R.sub.5 -R.sub.8 each independently represent a hydrogen atom or a C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl group and at least one of R.sub.6 -R.sub.8 is not a hydrogen atom; p represents 0 or an integer of up to 50; q, r, s, and t are 0, 1 or 2 and together at least 1 and not more than 4 and wherein when q represents 1 or 2 the sum of r, s, and t is at least 1 and, wherein when t and the sum of q, r, s and t represent 2, R.sub.8 does not represent a methyl group; and R.sub.9 represents an (cyclo)alkyl, alkenyl, aryl, arylalkyl, arylalkenyl, alkylaryl or alkenylaryl group having at least a carbon chain of 6 atoms,the amount of hydrate formation inhibitor component being effective to inhibit formation of hydrates in the mixture at conduit temperatures and pressures, andflowing the mixture containing the hydrate formation inhibitor component through the conduit.