A Review and Perspectives of Gas Hydrate Modeling of Plugging Risks in Multiphase Petroleum Production Systems

Abstract

This Review synthesizes advances over the past two decades in mechanistic gas hydrate models coupled with one-dimensional transient multiphase flow. Core model components, including gas hydrate growth kinetics, viscosification, deposition, and sloughing, and their interaction with multiphase flow were examined. Models developed for oil-, water-, and gas-dominated systems are reviewed with respect to their underlying assumptions and implications for predicting gas hydrate plugging. Outstanding limitations are identified, and directions for future research are provided. This work has significant value for the flow assurance community, providing a thorough review of the mechanisms and gas hydrate models.