METHOD FOR INHIBITING GAS HYDRATE BLOCKAGE IN OIL AND GAS PIPELINES

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)whereinR1 is an alkyl or alkenyl group having from 7 to 21 carbon atoms,R2 and R3 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,R4 is hydrogen or an alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms,R5 is hydrogen or an optionally substituted hydrocarbyl group having 1 to 22 carbon atoms andA 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 formula (I) is produced by the aminolysis of an ester of a fatty acid and a C1- to C4-alcohol with an N,N-dialkylamino alkyl amine and subsequent neutralization with a carboxylic acid.