Assessing the Biodegradability and Efficacy of Musa Paradisiaca Extract (MPE) as a Green Hydrate Inhibitor

Natural gas hydrates are crystalline compounds that form under high-pressure and low-temperature conditions, posing significant challenges in the oil and gas industry, including pipeline blockages and operational risks. Conventional hydrate inhibitors, such as thermodynamic hydrate inhibitors (THIs) and low-dosage hydrate inhibitors (LDHIs), have been widely used but face limitations due to environmental concerns, high costs, and toxicity. In this study, the efficacy and biodegradability of Musa paradisiaca extract (MPE) was evaluated as a sustainable and biodegradable alternative to the commercial inhibitor polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP). The study utilized a closed-loop mini hydrate flow apparatus to simulate offshore conditions and assessed hydrate inhibition at MPE concentrations ranging from 0.01–0.04 wt%. Results showed that MPE effectively prevented hydrate formation, achieving its highest inhibition efficiency of 69% at 0.03 wt%, outperforming PVP's 61% at similar concentrations. Additionally, Ready Biodegradability Tests (RBTs) were conducted to evaluate the biodegradability of MPE. The microbial analysis demonstrated enhanced bacterial activity at intermediate MPE concentrations, indicating favorable conditions for biodegradation. However, fungal growth was observed to decline at higher MPE concentrations, ultimately becoming negligible. Although MPE did not meet the OECD 301 standard for dissolved organic carbon (DOC) reduction, it showed significantly better biodegradability compared to PVP, which has a low degradation rate. These findings highlight MPE's potential as an environmentally friendly and cost-effective green inhibitor for mitigating hydrate formation in oil and gas operations. Further studies are recommended to explore field-scale applications, optimize formulations, and evaluate long-term environmental impacts.