Dielectric measuring cell for the study of gas hydrates

Kazan Federal University has been working on hydrate inhibitors for some time now. Their effectiveness has been confirmed by a wide range of modern methods, including microcalorimeters, high pressure reactors, NMR and IR spectroscopy. In the Laboratory of Dielectric Spectroscopy, a unique measuring cell for hydrate formation was developed. The equipment allows to work in a wide range of temperatures and pressures, as well as to investigate the effectiveness of a wide class of hydrate inhibitors.

“The paper proposes the design of a new dielectric cell, which makes it possible to study the formation and decomposition of gas hydrates under pressure. It was found that the dielectric properties of gas hydrates differ significantly from the dielectric properties of hexagonal ice, and these properties are influenced by kinetic inhibitors of hydrate formation. This makes it possible to further study the effect of various reagents on the kinetics of the formation and decomposition of gas hydrates using dielectric spectroscopy,” explains first co-author Ivan Lunev, Engineer of the Prospective Carbon Materials Lab.

Most of the hydrocarbon reserves of the Russian Federation are concentrated in the Arctic region. In the near future, the involvement of existing reserves in development will become a prerequisite for the continued growth of global demand for oil and gas. One of the existing problems is the formation of gas hydrates during the extraction and transportation of oil and gas. It is also important that the existing solutions to this problem are ineffective and expensive. To further ensure efficient and environmentally friendly production and transportation of hydrocarbons in extreme cold conditions, Kazan University scientists have developed a new type of inhibitors and anti-agglomerates to prevent the formation of natural gas hydrates in multiphase liquid systems and in a porous medium.

The project brings together specialists in physical chemistry, development of oil and gas fields, geology, chemistry of macromolecular compounds, organic chemistry, and physics. The existing developments implemented within the framework of the Arctic Resources project of the Russian Foundation for Basic Research will make it possible to optimize the traditional oil and gas production, which is clearly confirmed by the results of the research.