Comparing the Kinetic Hydrate Inhibition Performance of Linear versus Branched Polymers.

Kinetic hydrate inhibitors (KHIs) are a chemical method of preventing gas hydrate plugging of oil and gas production flow lines. The main ingredient in a KHI formulation is one or more water-soluble amphiphilic polymers. Poly(-vinyl caprolactam) (PVCap) is an unbranched polymer and a well-known industrial KHI, often used as a yardstick to compare the performance of new polymers.