Hydrate Research Paper

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2.9 HYDRATE TYPES AND FORMERS
Hydrates of natural gas components are classified based on the orientation of the water molecules in the crystal, and this determines their crystal structures. The water molecules align, because of the hydrogen bonding, into three-dimensional sphere-like structures often referred to as a cage. A second molecule resides inside the cage and stabilizes the entire structure. According to E.D Sloan Jr. 1991 report, the gas hydrates of interest to the oil and gas industry are those composed of methane, Ethane, propane, Iso-butane, n-butane, nitrogen, carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulphide.

There are two types of hydrates commonly encountered in the oil and gas industry. These are called type I and type II. They are also referred to as structures I and II. Occasionally, Type H (structure H) is encountered as the third type of hydrate. Table 2.2 provides a quick comparison among type I, type II, and type H hydrates. Figure 2.8 shows the types of polyhedral cages involved in type I and II hydrates.
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As earlier said, typical formers are the CH4, C2H6, CO2 and H2S. This structure is made from two types of cages; small and large. Methane, Carbon dioxide, and Hydrogen sulphide, as guest molecules can occupy both the small and the large cages. On the other hand, the ethane molecule occupies only the large cages. Figure 2.7 below shows (1) Dodecahedron, a twelve-sided polyhedron having each face a regular pentagon, and (2) Tetrakaidecahedron, a fourteen-sided polyhedron having twelve pentagonal faces and two hexagonal faces. The dodecahedral cages are smaller than the tetrakaidecahedral cages; thus, the dodecahedra are often referred to as small cages whereas the tetrakaidecahedra cages are referred to as large