Lubricity agents to increase pump efficiency in hydrate inhibitor applications

Abstract

Saturated and unsaturated carboxylic fatty acids and alkylamine salts, alkyl esters and alkyl amide derivatives of these fatty acids are effective in improving the lubricity of hydrate inhibitor formulations, thereby effectively reducing the level of wear on moving parts of a pump under a load during pumping of the hydrate inhibitor formulation, for instance into an umbilical for a subsea hydrocarbon production operation.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A hydrate inhibitor composition comprising:
 at least one alcohol hydrate inhibitor selected from the group consisting of methanol, ethanol, monoethylene glycol, triethylene glycol and combinations thereof; and   about 25 ppm to about 20,000 ppm of at least one lubricity agent to increase lubricity of the hydrate inhibitor composition, where the at least one lubricity agent is selected from the group consisting of at least one C1-C36 carboxylic fatty acid, an alkyl ester of a C1-C36 fatty acid, an alkylphenol ester of a C1-C36 fatty acid, an anhydride salt of a C1-C36 fatty acid, an alkanol amide of a C1-C36 fatty acid, an alkyl amide of a C1-C36 fatty acid, and combinations thereof and combinations thereof, where the lubricity agent is different from the at least one hydrate inhibitor.   
     
     
         2 . The hydrate inhibitor composition of  claim 1  where the hydrate inhibitor is selected from the group consisting of:
 0.01 to 99.99 vol % of the at least one alcohol hydrate inhibitor; 
 0.01 to 99.99 vol % of a low dose hydrate inhibitor (LDHI) selected from the group consisting of anti-agglomerants (AAs) kinetic hydrate inhibitors (KHIs) and combinations thereof; and 
 combinations thereof. 
 
     
     
         3 . The hydrate inhibitor composition of  claim 1  where the fatty acid of the lubricity agent is derived from naturally-occurring fats, naturally-occurring oils, oligomers of naturally-occurring fats, oligomers of naturally-occurring oils, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The hydrate inhibitor composition of  claim 1  where the fatty acid is tall oil fatty acid (TOFA). 
     
     
         5 . The hydrate inhibitor composition of  claim 1  where the amount of lubricity agent in the hydrate inhibitor composition ranges from about 100 ppm to about 500 ppm. 
     
     
         6 . The hydrate inhibitor composition of  claim 1  further comprising a corrosion inhibitor. A hydrate inhibitor composition comprising:
 0.01 to 99.99 vol % of at least one alcohol hydrate inhibitor selected from the group consisting of methanol, ethanol, monoethylene glycol, triethylene glycol and combinations thereof, based on the total hydrate inhibitor; 
 0.01 to 99.99 vol % of a low dose hydrate inhibitor (LDHI) selected from the group consisting of anti-agglomerants (AAs) kinetic hydrate inhibitors (KHIs) and combinations thereof, based on the total hydrate inhibitor; and 
 about 25 ppm to about 20,000 ppm of at least one lubricity agent to increase lubricity of the hydrate inhibitor composition, where the at least one lubricity agent is selected from the group consisting of at least one C1-C36 carboxylic fatty acid, an alkyl ester of a C1-C36 fatty acid, an alkylphenol ester of a C1-C36 fatty acid, an anhydride salt of a C1-C36 fatty acid, an alkanol amide of a C1-C36 fatty acid, an alkyl amide of a C1-C36 fatty acid, and combinations thereof and combinations thereof, where the lubricity agent is different from the at least one hydrate inhibitor; where the fatty acid of the lubricity agent is derived from naturally-occurring fats, naturally-occurring oils, oligomers of naturally-occurring fats, oligomers of naturally-occurring oils, and combinations thereof. 
 
     
     
         8 . The hydrate inhibitor composition of claim  7  where the fatty acid is tall oil fatty acid (TOFA). 
     
     
         9 . The hydrate inhibitor composition of claim  7  where the amount of lubricity agent in the hydrate inhibitor composition ranges from about 100 ppm to about 500 ppm. 
     
     
         10 . The hydrate inhibitor composition of claim  7  further comprising a corrosion inhibitor. 
     
     
         11 . A hydrate inhibitor composition consisting essentially of:
 at least one alcohol hydrate inhibitor selected from the group consisting of methanol, ethanol, monoethylene glycol, triethylene glycol and combinations thereof;   about 25 ppm to about 20,000 ppm of at least one lubricity agent to increase lubricity of the hydrate inhibitor composition, where the at least one lubricity agent is selected from the group consisting of at least one C1-C36 carboxylic fatty acid, an alkyl ester of a C1-C36 fatty acid, an alkylphenol ester of a C1-C36 fatty acid, an anhydride salt of a C1-C36 fatty acid, an alkanol amide of a C1-C36 fatty acid, an alkyl amide of a C1-C36 fatty acid, and combinations thereof and combinations thereof, where the lubricity agent is different from the at least one hydrate inhibitor; and   optionally a corrosion inhibitor.   
     
     
         12 . The hydrate inhibitor composition of  claim 11  where the fatty acid of the lubricity agent is derived from naturally-occurring fats, naturally-occurring oils, oligomers of naturally-occurring fats, oligomers of naturally-occurring oils, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The hydrate inhibitor composition of  claim 11  where the fatty acid is tall oil fatty acid (TOFA). 
     
     
         14 . The hydrate inhibitor composition of  claim 11  where the amount of lubricity agent in the hydrate inhibitor composition ranges from about 100 ppm to about 500 ppm.