History of the Development of Low Dosage Hydrate Inhibitors

Low dosage hydrate inhibitors (LDHIs) are a recent and alternative technology to thermodynamic inhibitors for preventing gas hydrates from plugging oil and gas production wells and pipelines. LDHIs are divided into two main categories, kinetic inhibitors (KHIs) and anti-agglomerants (AAs), both of which are successfully being used in field applications. This paper reviews the research and development of LDHIs with emphasis on the chemical structures that have been designed and tested. The mechanisms of both KHIs and AAs are also discussed.