| abstract |
The invention relates to an additive, the use thereof and a method for inhibiting the seeding, growth and/or agglomeration of gas hydrates, whereby an effective amount of an inhibitor is added to a multi-phase mixture, comprising water, gas and, optionally, condensate, which tends to form hydrates or a drilling fluid which tends to form gas hydrates. Said inhibitor contains doubly alkoxylated quaternary ammonium compounds, whereby compounds of formula (1), where R 1 , R 2 independently=groups of formula —(B)—(O—A) n —O—CO—R 5 (2), or —(A—O) n —(C)—CO—O—R 5 (3), R 3 =C 1 to C 30 alkyl or C 2 to C 30 alkenyl, R 4 =an organic group with 1 to 100 carbon atoms, optionally containing heteroatoms, R 5 =C 1 to C 30 alkyl or C 2 to C 30 alkenyl, n=1 to 20; A=a C 2 to C 4 alkylene group, B=a C 1 to C 10 alkylene group, C=a C 1 to C 6 alkylene group and X=an anion, are used as gas hydrate inhibitors. |