Experimental and modeling investigation of kinetics of methane gas hydrate formation in water-in-oil emulsion

Experimental data on hydrate formation kinetics for methane in water-in-oil emulsions are presented using a stirred batch reactor in the pressure range of 6.48-8.76 MPa and temperature range of 274.2-278.2K. The influences of system temperature, initial pressure, and water cut of water-in-oil emulsion on the induction time of hydrate formation and hydrate growth rate were investigated, respectively. Experimental results show that the induction time varies inversely with initial pressure, and directly with temperature. The hydrate growth rate increases with increase of initial pressure and decrease of temperature. In the water-in-oil dispersed systems, the increase of water cut increases the hydrate growth rate. A mathematical model was developed for describing the formation kinetic behavior of methane hydrates in the dispersed system. The parameters of the model were determined by correlating the formation rate data, and the activation energies were further determined. The model was found to be able to calculate the formation kinetic behavior of methane hydrate in the dispersed system. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.