US 2010/0304018 A1 · Controlling Top of the Line Corrosion in Hydrocarbon Pipelines

Abstract

The invention relates to applying corrosion inhibitor within a foam matrix to the top of the line of wet gas pipelines. The environment within a hydrocarbon containing pipeline may include fluids that form strong acids in the gas space at the upper portion of the pipeline and can rapidly corrode a carbon steel pipeline. The inventive solution is to provide a foam matrix created by a combination of foaming agent, foaming gas and corrosion inhibitor that are each selected to be compatible with each other and with the hydrocarbon mixture to form a stable foam matrix that treats the top of the line position for the length of the pipeline. A foam breaking agent at the end of the pipeline can be injected, if needed.

Claims8

Dependent claims

A process for applying corrosion inhibitor to the top of the line (around the twelve o′clock position) inside a hydrocarbon pipeline carrying a hydrocarbon mixture where a corrosion inhibitor is delivered to the top of the line for the length of the pipeline, the process comprising:

a) adding a foaming agent, a corrosion inhibitor and a foaming gas to the hydrocarbon pipeline where the foaming agent and corrosion inhibitor are chemically compatible with the hydrocarbon mixture to form a stable foam with a concentration of corrosion inhibitor carried in the foam to contact the top of the line within the pipeline and that maintains a stable volume of corrosion inhibitor carrying foam to continuously apply foam to the top of the line along the full extent of the pipeline;
and
b) adding a foam breaking agent to the pipeline at the end of the line to break the foam and render the solution comprising the hydrocarbon mixture, the foaming agent, the corrosion inhibitor, the foaming gas and the foam breaking agent as substantially non-foaming.

A process for applying a corrosion inhibiting solution to a pipeline carrying a live hydrocarbon solution where the corrosion inhibiting solution includes a foaming gas, a foaming agent, a corrosion inhibitor and a foam breaking agent where foam is formed in the pipeline that carries a concentration of corrosion inhibitor to the top of the line twelve o′clock position inside the pipeline while the pipeline is carrying the hydrocarbons and without interruption, the process for applying the solution comprises:

a) analyzing hydrocarbons that are to be flowing in the pipeline;
b) creating a test hydrocarbon solution for testing foaming agents, corrosion inhibitors and foam breaking agents;
c) testing a number of foaming agents with the test hydrocarbon solution to identify foaming agents that are effective at creating foam;
d) testing the effective foaming agents from step c) above with a number of corrosion inhibitors in the test hydrocarbon solution to identify combinations of foaming agent and corrosion inhibitors that are most effective at maintaining adequate concentrations of corrosion inhibitor in the foam and sufficient foam quantity to apply foam to the twelve o′clock position in the pipeline for the full length of the pipeline;
e) testing a number of foam breaking agents to verify that the foam formed by the effective foaming agent in combination with the effective corrosion inhibitors in combination with the test hydrocarbon solution will be effectively stifled by one or more foam breaking agent;
f) identifying at least one cost effective combination of foaming agent, corrosion inhibitor, and foam breaking agent with the test hydrocarbon solution;
and
g) testing the at least one cost effective combination of foaming agent, corrosion inhibitor, and foam breaking agent with live hydrocarbon solution in the pipeline and adjusting the injection rate of the foaming gas, the foaming agent and the corrosion inhibitor so that a concentration of corrosion inhibitor is applied to the top of the line twelve o′clock position along the length of the pipeline, and adequate foam breaking agent is provided at the end of the pipeline to prevent foaming of the hydrocarbon during subsequent processing thereof.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Controlling Top of the Line Corrosion in Hydrocarbon Pipelines

Life of this patent

Controlling Top of the Line Corrosion in Hydrocarbon Pipelines

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims8