Maximum line size for Hydrate Blockage

[ChemEngSquirrel]

What is the maximum size of line that can be blocked by formation of a hydrate.

I have a 16” 150# line in which hydrate formation is feasible during cold shutdown periods. However, as this is a fairly large id line, I’m not sure if hydrate blockage is realistic. I think any hydrates that form may simply be displaced through the line.

 

[zdas04]

I saw a picture of a 30-inch pig receiver that was solid with hydrates.

The whole branch of investigation called "flow assurance" was started because several new deep GOM fields were at risk of hydrate formation in very large lines (as I recall, the riser on Thunder Horse was 24" and the hydrate risk in a shutdown was approximately 100%, the pipe size may not be right I never was on that project, just read some of their engineering reports a long time ago).

David

 

[dcasto]

no limit