This invention relates to a method for inhibiting the agglomeration of gas hydrates, comprising the injection of an anti-agglomerant comprising a N,N-dialkyl-ammoniumalkyl fatty acid amide represented by the formula (I) ##STR00001## wherein R.sup.1 is an alkyl or alkenyl group having from 7 to 21 carbon atoms, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 are each independently an alkyl group containing 1 to 10 carbon atoms, or together form an optionally substituted ring having 5 to 10 ring atoms, wherein the ring may carry up to 3 substituents, R.sup.4 is hydrogen or an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms, R.sup.5 is hydrogen or an optionally substituted hydrocarbyl group having 1 to 17 carbon atoms and A is an alkylene group having two or three carbon atoms, into a fluid comprising gas, water and oil under conditions prone to the formation of gas hydrates, wherein the N,N-dialkyl-ammoniumalkyl fatty acid amide represented by the formula (I) is produced by the condensation reaction of a fatty acid with an N,N-dialkylamino alkyl amine and subsequent neutralization with a carboxylic acid.

A system and method for removing organic carboxylates from a mono ethylene glycol (“MEG”) stream includes a reaction vessel; means for cooling and diluting the MEG stream being routed to the reaction vessel; means for acidifying the cooled and diluted MEG stream during its residence time within the reaction vessel; and means for removing an acetic-rich overhead stream from the reaction vessel. The acidification of the cooled and diluted MEG stream occurs under a vacuum. The reaction vessel may be located downstream of a calcium removal vessel and receive a filtered bottom stream from that vessel, or it may be a single reaction vessel that cycles between a calcium removal mode and an acetate removal mode, with the pressure of the single vessel being greater during the calcium removal mode than during the acetate removal mode.

A method of dissolving a gas hydrate in a pipeline includes introducing a gas hydrate dissolving solution into the pipeline and allowing the gas hydrate dissolving solution to at least partially dissolve the gas hydrate in the pipeline. The gas hydrate dissolving solution includes cesium formate, potassium formate, or both, and has a flash point of greater than 50° C.

A method of dissolving a gas hydrate in a pipeline includes introducing a gas hydrate dissolving solution into the pipeline and allowing the gas hydrate dissolving solution to at least partially dissolve the gas hydrate in the pipeline. The gas hydrate dissolving solution includes a glycol, dimethylformamide, or both, and has a boiling point of greater than 80° C. A method of dissolving a gas hydrate in a pipeline may also include introducing a gas hydrate dissolving solution into the pipeline and allowing the gas hydrate dissolving solution to at least partially dissolve the gas hydrate in the pipeline. The gas hydrate dissolving solution includes comprises a glycol, dimethylformamide, cesium formate, potassium formate, or combinations thereof, and has a flash point of greater than 50° C.

Provided is a composition comprising at least one polymer, the repeat unit of which comprises at least one amide functional group, at least one polyetheramine with a weight-average molecular weight (M.sub.w) of greater than 100 g.mo1.sup.−1 and exhibiting at least two secondary and/or tertiary amine functional groups, and optionally, but preferably, at least one organic solvent. Also provided is method of using of the composition for delaying, indeed even preventing, the formation of gas hydrates, in particular in a process for extracting oil and/or gas and/or condensates, and also to the process for delaying, indeed even preventing, the formation and/or the agglomeration of gas hydrates, employing a composition as defined above.

Disclosed are alkyl lactone-derived hydroxyamides and alkyl lactone-derived hydroxyesters used in compositions and methods for inhibiting natural gas hydrate agglomerates. The alkyl lactone-derived hydroxyamides and alkyl lactone-derived hydroxyesters are reaction products of an alkyl lactone and an amine, and an alkyl lactone and an alcohol, respectively.

A gas conditioning system is described herein. The system includes a slug catcher configured to separate a hydrocarbon feed stream into a liquid stream and a gas stream, and a first hydrate inhibitor injection unit configured to lower a hydrate formation temperature of the gas stream using a first hydrate inhibitor. The system includes a pressure reduction unit, a first separation unit configured to remove a first liquid stream including the first hydrate inhibitor from the gas stream, a mercury removal unit, and an acid gas removal unit. The system also includes a second hydrate inhibitor injection unit configured to further lower the hydrate formation temperature of the gas stream using a second hydrate inhibitor, a cooling unit, a second separation unit configured to remove a second liquid stream including the second hydrate inhibitor from the gas stream, and a dehydration unit configured to produce a final treated gas stream.

Disclosed are succinimide-based compounds used in compositions and methods for inhibiting natural gas hydrate agglomerates. The succinimide-based compounds are reaction products of an alkenyl succinic anhydride and an amine or amine alcohol.

Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a method of making a reaction inhibiting polymer having a formula of M—CO—NR. The method may comprise reacting PAA with an organic coupling reagent and at least one alicyclic amine to produce the reaction inhibiting polymer. In accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure, a method of making an acryloyl monomer having a formula of R.sub.a—CO—NR may comprise reacting an acrylic acid with an organic coupling reagent and an alicyclic amine to form the acryloyl monomer. R.sub.a may be an alkylene moiety, M may be a poly(acrylic) acid backbone. NR may be an alicyclic amine moiety coupled to the polymer backbone or coupled to the alkylene moiety.

A low dosage hydrate inhibitor blend comprising a cationic surfactant and a co-surfactant. The cationic surfactant has the structural formula:

##STR00001##

wherein: R1 is an alkyl group or alkenyl group having from 5 to 22 carbon atoms, R2 and R3 are alkyl groups having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, R4 is a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, and X— is selected from the group of a carboxylate, an acrylate, a methacrylate, a halide, a phosphonate, a sulfate, a sulfonate, a hydroxide, a carbonate, or any combination thereof; and The co-surfactant is present in the inhibitor blend in an amount of no greater than about 10 percent by weight based on the total weight of the blend.