Evaluation of Soy Lecithin as Eco‐Friendly Biosurfactant Clathrate Hydrate Antiagglomerant Additive

Hydrate plug formation is one of the most challenging problems in upstream oilfields. The most preferred option to prevent hydrate plug formation is the use of antiagglomerants in the oil/gas flowlines and in drilling fluids. Antiagglomerants do not prevent hydrate formation but restrict the hydrate crystals from agglomerating. In this study, experiments were conducted on of soy lecithin (biosurfactant) at different concentrations to measure its effectiveness as an antiagglomerant additive. In all the experiments, tetrahydrofuran (THF) hydrate was used, and to study the antiagglomerant efficiency of the additive, visual observation was utilized. Soy lecithin was compared with cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), and the former was found as a good environmentally friendly antiagglomerant additive. Soy lecithin at 0.1 wt% in the experimental solution increased the agglomeration time of hydrate crystals by more than 1440 min and showed agglomeration state III at 1 °C. Soy lecithin at 0.01 wt% increased the agglomeration time of hydrate crystals to 1000 min. The effect of soy lecithin on the rheological characteristics and filtration properties of drilling fluid was also studied. Even at the highest concentration of 1.0 wt% soy lecithin and at a temperature of 1 °C, the rheological parameters of the drilling fluid remained within permissible limits. Soy lecithin was thus found to effectively restrict the agglomeration of hydrate crystals.