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Summary

Managing the relationship between temperature and pressure is critical. Without proper management, pressure changes can lower temperatures, creating conditions favourable to hydrate formation. Hydrates can obstruct the flow of gas and liquids, potentially damaging equipment, releasing hazardous energy, and resulting in serious injury or fatality.

This guideline was developed to provide operations staff with the principles and guidance needed to manage hydrates effectively.

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What the guideline covers

  • How hydrates are formed
  • Hydrate detection
  • Hydrate prevention 
  • Handling and removing hydrates

What you can do with these resources

  • Understand the conditions that can lead to hydrate formation in process equipment
  • Identify hydrate-related hazards and potential process safety risks
  • Improve hazard assessments, operating procedures, and risk controls
  • Support worker training, awareness, and competency development
  • Strengthen process safety management programs and operational reliability
  • Enhance planning for startup, shutdown, maintenance, and upset conditions
  • Promote consistent practices for preventing, detecting, and managing hydrates
  • Support continuous improvement efforts aimed at reducing serious incidents and equipment impacts

Who these resources are for

  • Oil and gas producers, processors and facility operators
  • Oil sands operators and employers
  • Operations, maintenance and engineering personnel
  • Health and safety professionals
  • Process safety and risk management practitioners
  • Supervisors, managers and workers involved in process operations
  • Contractors and service providers working on facilities where hydrate formation may occur
  • Anyone responsible for identifying, assessing and controlling hydrate-related process safety risks

How to use these resources

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