New Environmentally Friendly Chemicals for Oil and Gas Production
By studying new classes of low-dosage hydrate inhibitors, a researcher from the University of Stavanger (UiS) developed new and more environmentally-friendly chemicals that can be used in oil and gas production.
The new chemicals developed by Pei Cheng Chua from UiS are used in the petroleum industry and prevent gas hydrate (a hydrocarbon ice) from forming inside pipelines, which can cause a blockage in the pipes. Although there are current types of methods on the market that can prevent the ice, such as antifreeze, these methods can cost a lot of money and can pose health risks for offshore workers.
For about 10-15 years, scientists have created LDHIs as an antifreeze alternative, but they only delay or disperse the formation of ice particles instead of preventing the formation altogether. Chua produced and pressure-tested new LDHIs that have proven to perform better and/or had less impact on the environment than substances that are currently available on the market.