HYTREAT DF 12851A Reduces Methanol-in-Crude Concentration by Nearly 98%

• Reduced methanol-in-crude concentration nearly 98%, from 2,000 ppm to 43 ppm
• Inhibited hydrates from forming with no flowline blockages or pressure spikes
• Prevented producer from installing water wash system, resulting in a gross profit gain of more than $10,850,000 

Background

A producer in the Gulf of Mexico was operating a subsea tieback (SSTB) that produced very little water (less than 1% BS&W) and required 1,500 gallons/day (5,678 liters/day) of methanol to remain outside the hydrate risk region.

Due to the low water cut, methanol was transferring into the oil phase. The methanol concentration in the oil phase spiked to levels exceeding 2,000 ppm (via GC analysis), which is well over the pipeline specification of 50 ppm. The pipeline company threatened to shut-in the well if the producer couldn’t lower the methanol concentration in the oil.

A low methanol hydrate prevention solution was requested by the producer. System conditions of the SSTB are described in Table 1 below.

Table 1: System Conditions

Clariant Oil Services Solutions and Value Delivered

Clariant Oil Services’ HYTREAT DF 12851A, a low dose hydrate inhibitor, was recommended to replace the methanol. Clariant Oil Services replaced 1,500 gallons/day (5,678 liters/day) of methanol with 40 gallons/day (151.4 liters/day) of HYTREAT DF 12851A. This chemical solution inhibited hydrates from forming without causing subsea flowline blockages or pressure spikes.

Clariant Oil Services‘ HYTREAT DF 12851A was successful in lowering the LACT methanol-in-crude numbers to 43 ppm, which is below the pipeline specifications of 50 ppm, thus eliminating the need for any well shut-ins.

Furthermore, Clariant Oil Services’ ability to reduce the LACT methanol-in-crude numbers using HYTREAT DF 12851A saved the producer from having to install a water wash system that would mechanically reduce the amount of methanol in the oil; a process that would have taken approximately one month to set up. By not having to install the system and defer production, the operator realized a gross profit gain of more than $10,850,000.

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