METHOD FOR EXTRACTING HYDROCARBONS FROM HYDRATES Russian patent published in 2007 - IPC E21B43/26 C09K8/68 

FIELD: technology for extracting hydrocarbons captured in hydrate beds, in particular, methods for extracting natural gas.

SUBSTANCE: method for extracting hydrocarbon captured in bed of hydrate includes following stages: (a) provision go contact between water solution, containing form 10 to 75 percents of mass of formate or acetate of alkali metal or mixture of two or more formates or acetates of alkali metals, and hydrate bed, as a result of which aforementioned water solution frees hydrocarbon from hydrate bed with forming of mixture of hydrocarbon and water steam; (b) movement of mixture of hydrocarbon and water steam and aforementioned water solution to separator, while aforementioned water solution absorbs water steam from mixture during movement with production of more diluted water solution of alkali metal salt, thus preventing production of hydrocarbon hydrates; (c) separation of hydrocarbon from aforementioned diluted water solution; (d) restoration of water solution received at stage (a), by heating of aforementioned diluted water solution resulting in removal of absorbed water steam; and (e) return of restored water solution to stage (a) by means of recirculation. Invention also concerns usage of water solution, containing from 10 to 75 percents of mass of formate of any alkali metal or acetate of alkali metal, or mixture of any two or more of aforementioned salts as drying agent for hydrocarbon. Invention is developed at dependent stations.

EFFECT: increased efficiency of extraction of hydrocarbons captured in beds of hydrates.

2 cl, 2 dwg