Xenon hydrate formation in water-in-oil emulsion: Investigation with the radiographic method

Formation of gas hydrate plugs can significantly complicate oil recovery. For this reason, investigating hydrate formation in oil disperse systems is topical. This work presents the results of radiographic and DSC investigations of xenon hydrate formation in a water-in-oil emulsion. The process proceeds in two stages as follows. The hydrate proliferates near the emulsion-gas boundary in the first stage. The hydrate particles in this region grow together, at least partially. The final hydrate content in this area is signifi-cantly higher than in other parts of the sample. In the second stage, the hydrate's slow growth occurs over the sample's entire volume distorting its shape, possibly due to the difference in water and hydrate molar volumes. At this stage, a significant part of the hydrate (33%) forms with no detectable heat release. The obtained results will improve the description of the kinetics of hydrate growth in static water-in-oil emulsions.(c) 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.