Use of Boiling Point Elevation Data of Aqueous Solutions for Estimating Hydrate Stability Zone

Limited information is available for estimating the hydrate safety margin and controlling gas hydrate formation along pipelines and production facilities. In this work, the possibility of predicting the hydrate safety margin from the normal boiling point of aqueous solution is investigated by developing a predictive method that uses normal boiling point elevation data of aqueous solution in the presence of wide ranges of salt concentrations for determination of hydrate formation region. The developed method considers only the changes in normal boiling point elevation with respect to the normal boiling point of pure water for estimating hydrate stability zone, and therefore there is no need to have the analysis of the solution. As measurement of normal boiling point elevation for the aqueous phase is easier and more accurate than measurement of the hydrate dissociation point, such a method can reduce experimental costs and efforts. Independent data (not used in developing the correlation) are used to exami...