This study proposes a criterion for the safe transportability of gas hydrate slurries in oil-dominant flowlines. Fluids chemistry plays a role in how the particles agglomerate, which occurs in the time window the particles take to decrease their porosity because of crystallization in the capillary walls or to seal the water within the pores by the action of chemical additives, completely preventing any water in the outer surface of the particle and avoiding liquid bridge formation (agglomeration). Hydrodynamic aspects come from the lift vs buoyancy/weight forces that tend to suspend/settle the particles, as well as the collision and disruption rates of particles that play a role in the agglomeration process. The criterion is rather simple and shows the importance of the subcooling of crystallization, water cut, mixture velocity, and oil–water interfacial tension that can be lowered by the use of additives. A simple chart for assuring safe, fully suspended slurry flow (low plugging risk) is proposed, called hydrate slurry phase map, and directives of its use for flowline design and management are discussed. Discussion is also given on how to scale up laboratory measurements into field conditions by the proposal of a new dimensionless group, called the Bassani number.

中文翻译：

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为多相流系统中的气体水合物管理定义泥浆相图

本研究提出了以石油为主的流线中天然气水合物浆体的安全输送性标准。流体化学在粒子如何凝聚方面发挥作用，这种凝聚发生在粒子因毛细管壁结晶而降低其孔隙率或通过化学添加剂的作用将水密封在孔隙内的时间窗口内，从而完全阻止任何水并避免形成液桥（团聚）。流体动力学方面来自倾向于悬浮/沉降颗粒的升力与浮力/重力，以及在团聚过程中起作用的颗粒的碰撞和破坏率。该标准相当简单，显示了结晶过冷度、含水率、混合速度、可以通过使用添加剂降低油水界面张力。提出了一个确保安全、完全悬浮的泥浆流动（低堵塞风险）的简单图表，称为讨论了水合物浆液相图，以及其用于流线设计和管理的指导。还讨论了如何通过新的无量纲群（称为Bassani 数）的提议将实验室测量扩大到现场条件。