A 100-ton concrete-and-steel vault will be mounted onto a ruptured well in the Gulf of Mexico an important step in a delicate and unprecedented attempt to stop most of the gushing crude fouling the sea. The formation of methane hydrate has been seen to cause this operation to fail. They suggested of pumping methanol to act as antifreeze. Methanol will be used to prevent the formation of hydrate. Methanol is toxic and explosive. Methanol is a good anti freeze at normal pressure and temperature. It is not known how methanol is going to do at high pressure and low temperature. Another cost effective method to prevent the formation of crystalline methane hydrate is electrochemical. The inside of the dome is made from steel. This can act as an electrochemical electrode and can be used as a source of releasing gases. The easiest to release is chlorine or hydrogen depending on the applied potential. At high pressure and low temperature (conditions at the bottom of the gulf) the released gas may be in the supercritical conditions (Behave like liquid and gas). It is not known what will be the electrochemical overvoltage for gas release (how easy these gases can be released). However, this does not require special equipment for methanol release at high pressure and low temperature beside methanol is known to be very toxic and combustible. The equipments required for gas release are already available (used for cathodic protection) and very cost effective. The amount and duration of gas release can be controlled according to the requirement. The released gases will produce turbulence which may prevent the hydration and subsequent crystallisation of methane. The release of these gases may require a simple roughening of the interior surface of the steel. The surface of the steel may have to be sprayed with a catalyst that has a very low electrochemical overvoltage for releasing that particular gas. The surface may be sprayed with lead if for example oxygen gas is to be released.

M. Reda
CanadElectrochim
Calgary Alberta T2E5K7 Canada