Use of a particular carboxylic amino acid in order to limit the formation and/or agglomeration of gas hydrates

1. A process for limiting or preventing the formation and/or agglomeration of gas hydrates, comprising combining (1) a production fluid comprising an aqueous phase and one or more gasses and (2) at least one compound represented by formula (I) or a salt thereof:

wherein

R 1 represents a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated C 6 to C 30 alkyl chain, wherein the alkyl chain is optionally interrupted with one or more hydrocarbon-based rings,

R 2 represents a hydrogen atom or a group —(CHR a —CHR b )—COOR 5 , wherein R a and R b , which may be identical or different, represent, independently of each other, a hydrogen atom or a methyl group,

R 3 represents a hydrogen atom or a group —(CHR a —CHR b )—COOR 6 , wherein R a and R b , which may be identical or different, represent, independently of each other, a hydrogen atom or a methyl group,

R 4 represents a hydrogen atom or a group —(CHR a —CHR b )—COOR 7 , wherein R a and R b , which may be identical or different, represent, independently of each other, a hydrogen atom or a methyl group,

R 5 , R 6 and R 7 , which may be identical or different, represent, independently of each other, a hydrogen atom or a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated C 1 to C 12 alkyl chain,

wherein at least one of the radicals R 2 , R 3 or R 4 comprises a carboxylic acid function (—COOH),

m represents an integer ranging from 1 to 6,

n represents an integer ranging from 0 to 10, and

p is 0 or 1.

2. The process of claim 1 , wherein

p is 0,

R 2 represents a group —(CH 2 ) 2 —COOR 5 ,

R 3 represents a group —(CH 2 ) 2 —COOR 6 , and

R 4 represents a group —(CH 2 ) 2 —COOR 7 ,

wherein R 5 , R 6 and R 7 , which may be identical or different, represent, independently of each other, a hydrogen atom or a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated C 1 to C 12 alkyl chain, wherein at least one of the radicals R 5 , R 6 and R 7 represents a hydrogen atom.

3. The process of claim 1 , wherein R 5 , R 6 and R 7 each represent a hydrogen atom.

4. The process of claim 1 , wherein n is an integer ranging from 0 to 4.

5. The process of claim 1 , wherein

p is 0,

n is 0,

R 1 represents a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated C 8 to C 18 alkyl chain,

R 2 represents a hydrogen atom, and

R 3 represents a group —(CHR a —CHR b )—COOR 6 ,

wherein R a and R b , which may be identical or different, represent, independently of each other, a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, and wherein R 6 represents a hydrogen atom.

6. The process of claim 1 , wherein

p is equal to 0 and

n is equal to 0,

R 1 represents a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated C 8 to C 18 alkyl chain,

R 2 represents a group —(CHR a —CHR b )—COOR 5 ,

wherein R a and R b , which may be identical or different, represent, independently of each other, a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, and wherein R 5 represents a hydrogen atom, and

R 3 represents a group —(CHR a —CHR b )—COOR 6 ,

wherein R a and R b , which may be identical or different, represent, independently of each other, a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, and wherein R 6 represents a hydrogen atom.

7. The process of claim 1 , wherein the formation and/or agglomeration of the gas hydrates is limited or prevented in a process for extracting petroleum, condensates or gas, during drilling, the completion operation or during production.

8. The process of claim 1 , wherein the compound represented by formula (I) is predissolved in a liquid chosen from water and organic solvents, and mixtures thereof.

9. The process of claim 8 , wherein the organic solvents are chosen from methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, n-butanol, isobutanol, 2-ethylhexanol, glycerol, ethylene glycol (or monoethylene glycol), 1,2-propylene glycol, 1,3-propylene glycol, hexylene glycol, butylglycol, ethylene glycol dibutyl ether, methyl ethyl ketone, methyl isobutyl ketone, diisobutyl ketone, N-methylpyrrolidone, cyclohexanone, xylenes, toluene, 1-octanol and 2-octanol, and mixtures of two or more thereof in all proportions.

10. The process of claim 8 , wherein the amount of the compound represented by formula (I) dissolved in the liquid is greater than or equal to 10%, relative to the total weight of the resulting solution.

11. The process of claim 1 , wherein the compound represented by formula (I) is combined with the production fluid in an amount ranging from 0.1% to 10% by weight, relative to the total weight of the aqueous phase of the production fluid.

12. The process of claim 1 , wherein the compound represented by formula (I) is combined with the production fluid in an amount ranging from 0.3% to 8% by weight, relative to the total weight of the aqueous phase of the production fluid.

13. The process of claim 1 , wherein the compound represented by formula (I) is combined with the production fluid in an amount ranging from 0.4% to 4% by weight, relative to the total weight of the aqueous phase of the production fluid.

14. The process of claim 1 , wherein the compound represented by formula (I) is in the form of a salt.

15. The process of claim 1 , wherein the proportion of the aqueous phase in the production fluid is from 10% to 90%, relative to the total weight of the production fluid.

16. The process of claim 1 , wherein the production fluid comprises at least one gas selected from the group consisting of methane, ethane, propane, butane, carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, and mixtures thereof.