Virtual Booth

Gas hydrates are white, ice-like crystals that form inside oil and gas pipelines when they are exposed to the low temperatures and pressure environment. They can clog a pipeline within hours, forcing expensive shutdowns and costing the industry over $200 million every year. Right now, operators rely on continuous methanol injection to prevent hydrates – a costly and environmentally harsh method. Worse, existing prediction models are often inaccurate, especially for cold wells, and none of them use artificial intelligence.

We built a better way. Our tool is an AI/ML-based predictive system that learns from past hydrate events, live sensor data, and well conditions to forecast exactly when and where hydrates will form – and it gives a one-hour early warning. Operators see red risk points on a simple dashboard, with a clear vertical line marking the alert time. They can then adjust the operating conditions; temperature, and pressure, or apply inhibitors only when needed, avoiding unplanned shutdowns and reducing the continuous usage of chemicals.

This tool is validated at Technology Readiness Level 5 (TRL 5) in a relevant environment. We have collaborated with industry partners, including PETRONAS and PTTEP Malaysia, and our intellectual property is protected under copyright LY2021P02823. The tool is practical, scalable, and ready for pilot deployment. It not only saves money but also supports environmental sustainability by cutting methanol discharge – aligning with multiple UN SDGs.

What makes us unique? We are the first to bring an AI/ML assistant specifically for hydrate early detection in cold wells. No one else offers a one-hour predictive window. We turn a guessing game into actionable, data-driven insights.