A review on the application of empirical models to hydrate formation prediction

In deepwater hydrocarbon transportation pipeline, the production may decrease and operational cost and time are increasing due to the growth rate of hydrate. The pressure of deepwater pipeline is comparatively high, so it is entirely possible to form the hydrate formation conditions and pose a major operational and safety challenge. This work provides a review on empirical models for hydrate formation prediction in deepwater gas pipeline. The correlation and empirical models are presented with the hydrate formation temperature described as a function of pressure and gas gravity. This study could possibly provide a milestone for predicting PVT and heat transfer effects on hydrate formation in deepwater pipeline. © 2014 Owned by the authors, published by EDP Sciences.