Abstract: Certain functionalized aldehydes scavengers may be used to at least partially scavenge sulfur-containing contaminants from fluid systems containing hydrocarbons and/or water. The contaminants scavenged or otherwise removed include, but are not necessarily limited to, H2S, mercaptans, and/or sulfides. Suitable scavengers include, but are not necessarily limited to, reaction products of glycolaldehyde with aldehydes; reaction products of glycolaldehyde with a nitrogen-containing reactant (e.g. an amine, a triazine, an imine, an aminal, and/or polyamines); non-nitrogen-containing reaction products of a hydrated aldehyde with certain second aldehydes; reaction products of 1,3,5-trioxane with hydroxyl-rich compounds (e.g. glyoxal, polyethylene glycol, polypropylene glycol, pentaerythritol, and/or sugars); and reaction products of certain aldehydes with certain phenols; and combinations of these reaction products.

Abstract: Treatment of hydrocarbon streams, and in one non-limiting embodiment refinery distillates, with high pH aqueous reducing agents, such as borohydride, results in reduction of the sulfur compounds such as disulfides, mercaptans and thioethers that are present to give easily removed sulfides. The treatment converts the original sulfur compounds into hydrogen sulfide or low molecular weight mercaptans that can be extracted from the distillate with caustic solutions, hydrogen sulfide or mercaptan scavengers, solid absorbents such as clay or activated carbon or liquid absorbents such as amine-aldehyde condensates and/or aqueous aldehydes.

Abstract: An additive comprising glucaric acid and/or glucaric acid salt may be added to an aqueous system in an effective amount to remove rust from a corroded metallurgy and inhibit further rust formation and/or corrosion of the metallurgy within the aqueous system, and also to passivate any metallurgy within an aqueous system, wherein the additive may not contain a phosphorous compound or an iron activating agent. The aqueous system may be an aqueous stream, a hydrocarbon stream containing water, a cooling tower, a boiler, a cooling water system, and combinations thereof.

Abstract: Treatment of crude oil with basic ionic liquids (ILs), results in scavenging of any hydrochloric acid (HCI) that is present to remove the HCI. The IL is a quaternary ammonium compound having the formula R4N+X? or R3N+R?N+R3, where R is independently an alkyl group, an alkylbenzyl group, a hydroxyalkyl group, or a hydroxyalkylbenzyl group, and R is straight or branched and has 1-22 carbon atoms, R? is a straight or branched alkylene or oxyalkylene having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, and where X? is selected from the group consisting of hydroxide, carbonate, alkylcarbonate, bicarbonate or alkoxide, where the alkyl group of the alkyl-carbonate or alkoxide, if present, is straight or branched and has 1 to 8 carbon atoms. The ILs are introduced into the crude oil after the refinery desalters and before the crude distillation tower to prevent or inhibit HCI from distilling to the crude tower overhead.

Abstract: Treatment of streams containing hydrogen and/or hydrocarbons, and in one non-limiting embodiment refinery distillates, with alkyl carbonates, such as dimethylcarbonate, alone or together with at least one solvent results in reduction or removal of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) that is present to give easily removed alkyl sulfides and/or mercaptans. In one non-limiting embodiment, the treatment converts the original hydrogen sulfide into alkyl sulfides and/or mercaptans that can be extracted from the stream with caustic solutions, mercaptan scavengers, solid absorbents such as clay or activated carbon or liquid absorbents such as amine-aldehyde condensates and/or aqueous aldehydes.

Abstract: It has been discovered that contaminants such as metals and/or amines can be transferred from a hydrocarbon phase to a water phase in an emulsion breaking process by using a composition that contains water-soluble C5-C12 polyhydroxy carboxylic acids, ammonium salts thereof, alkali metal salts thereof, and mixtures of all of these. The composition may also optionally include a mineral acid to reduce the pH of the desalter wash water. The method permits transfer of metals and/or amines into the aqueous phase with little or no hydrocarbon phase under-carry into the aqueous phase. Resolving the emulsion into the hydrocarbon phase and the aqueous phase occurs in a refinery desalting process using electrostatic coalescence. The composition is particularly useful in treating crude oil emulsions, and in removing calcium and other metals therefrom. The polyhydroxy carboxylic acid additionally inhibits metal corrosion of metal pipe or other equipment used in a crude unit.

Abstract: Treatment of hydrocarbon streams, e.g. gasoline, with basic ionic liquids (ILs), results in reduction of the sulfur compounds such as H2S thiophenes, disulfides, thioethers, and/or mercaptans that are present to remove these compounds. The IL is a quaternary ammonium compound having the formula R4N+ X? or X? R3N+R?N+R3 X?, where R is independently an alkyl group, an alkylbenzyl group, a hydroxyalkyl group, or a hydroxyalkylbenzyl group, and R is straight or branched and has 1-22 carbon atoms, R? is a straight or branched alkylene or oxyalkylene having 1 to 10 carbon atoms, and where X? can be hydroxide, carbonate, alkylcarbonate, bicarbonate or alkoxide, where the alkyl group of the alkylcarbonate or alkoxide, if present, is straight or branched and has 1 to 8 carbon atoms. The ILs can be used in applications where liquid or gaseous hydrocarbon fluids are treated by direct injection or by extraction.

Abstract: A demulsifying agent comprising at least one maleic acid derivative may be added to a hydrocarbon stream in an effective amount where the hydrocarbon stream includes a plurality of solids that are less than 0.45 microns in size. The demulsifying agent may be added to the hydrocarbon stream at a location that is upstream from a desalter. The demulsifying agent may water-wet at least a portion of the solids for subsequent separation of the solids from the hydrocarbon stream.

Abstract: A method for scavenging hydrogen sulfide by introducing to a hydrogen sulfide contaminated fluid an additive comprising a zinc carboxylate complex and a viscosity improver selected from the group consisting of glycol ethers having from about 4 to about 10 carbons, alkyl alcohols having from about 1 to about 10 carbons, and combinations thereof.

Abstract: Certain functionalized aldehydes scavengers may be used to at least partially scavenge sulfur-containing contaminants from fluid systems containing hydrocarbons and/or water. The contaminants scavenged or otherwise removed include, but are not necessarily limited to, H2S, mercaptans, and/or sulfides. Suitable scavengers include, but are not necessarily limited to, reaction products of glycolaldehyde with aldehydes; reaction products of glycolaldehyde with a nitrogen-containing reactant (e.g. an amine, a triazine, an imine, an aminal, and/or polyamines); non-nitrogen-containing reaction products of a hydrated aldehyde with certain second aldehydes; reaction products of 1,3,5-trioxane with hydroxyl-rich compounds (e.g. glyoxal, polyethylene glycol, polypropylene glycol, pentaerythritol, and/or sugars); and reaction products of certain aldehydes with certain phenols; and combinations of these reaction products.

Abstract: It has been discovered that metals and/or amines can be removed or transferred from a hydrocarbon phase to a water phase in an emulsion breaking process by using a composition that contains water-soluble hydroxyacids. Suitable water-soluble hydroxyacids include, but are not necessarily limited to glycolic acid, gluconic acid, C2-C4 alpha-hydroxy acids, poly-hydroxy carboxylic acids, thioglycolic acid, chloroacetic acid, polymeric forms of the above hydroxyacids, poly-glycolic esters, glycolate ethers, and ammonium salt and alkali metal salts of these hydroxyacids, and mixtures thereof. The composition may also include at least one mineral acid to reduce the pH of the desalter wash water. A solvent may be optionally included in the composition. The invention permits transfer of metals and/or amines into the aqueous phase with little or no hydrocarbon phase undercarry into the aqueous phase.

Abstract: Treatment of hydrocarbon streams, and in one non-limiting embodiment refinery distillates, with reducing agents, such as borohydride and salts thereof, alone or together with at least one co-solvent results in reduction of the sulfur compounds such as disulfides, mercaptans, thiophenes, and thioethers that are present to give easily removed sulfides. In one non-limiting embodiment, the treatment converts the original sulfur compounds into hydrogen sulfide or low molecular weight mercaptans that can be extracted from the distillate with caustic solutions, hydrogen sulfide or mercaptan scavengers, solid absorbents such as clay or activated carbon or liquid absorbents such as amine-aldehyde condensates and/or aqueous aldehydes.

Abstract: A composition useful for scavenging hydrogen sulfide by admixing metal carboxylates which have high viscosity due to polymerization and a viscosity improver selected from the group consisting of glycol ethers having from about 4 to about 10 carbons, alkyl alcohols having from about 1 to about 10 carbons, and combinations thereof.

Abstract: Treatment of hydrocarbon streams, and in one non-limiting embodiment refinery distillates, with high pH aqueous reducing agents, such as borohydride, results in reduction of the sulfur compounds such as disulfides, mercaptans and thioethers that are present to give easily removed sulfides. The treatment converts the original sulfur compounds into hydrogen sulfide or low molecular weight mercaptans that can be extracted from the distillate with caustic solutions, hydrogen sulfide or mercaptan scavengers, solid absorbents such as clay or activated carbon or liquid absorbents such as amine-aldehyde condensates and/or aqueous aldehydes.

Abstract: A composition useful for scavenging hydrogen sulfide by admixing metal carboxylates which have high viscosity due to polymerization and a viscosity improver selected from the group consisting of glycol ethers having from about 4 to about 10 carbons and alkyl alcohols having from about 1 to about 4 carbons.

Abstract: Saturated and unsaturated carboxylic fatty acids and alkylamine salts, alkyl esters and alkyl amide derivatives of these fatty acids are effective in improving the lubricity of hydrate inhibitor formulations, thereby effectively reducing the level of wear on moving parts of a pump under a load during pumping of the hydrate inhibitor formulation, for instance into an umbilical for a subsea hydrocarbon production operation.

Abstract: Hydrocarbon streams, such as crude oil streams, may have reduced drag when an effective amount to reduce drag of a drag reducing composition is added to a liquid hydrocarbon, where the drag reducing composition includes a drag reducing latex comprising at least one plasticizer in an amount effective to improve the ability to pump the latex into a hydrocarbon composition or stream with assured flow of the latex. Latex formulations are known to cause agglomerated particles during pumping operations, and the agglomerated hard particles tend to plug check valves in injection pump equipment, but the inclusion of at least one plasticizer reduces or prevents such problems.

Abstract: Hydrocarbon streams, such as crude oil streams, may have reduced drag when an effective amount to reduce drag of a drag reducing composition is added to a liquid hydrocarbon, where the drag reducing composition includes a drag reducing latex comprising at least one plasticizer in an amount effective to improve the ability to pump the latex into a hydrocarbon composition or stream with assured flow of the latex. Latex formulations are known to cause agglomerated particles during pumping operations, and the agglomerated hard particles tend to plug check valves in injection pump equipment, but the inclusion of at least one plasticizer reduces or prevents such problems.

Abstract: Saturated and unsaturated carboxylic fatty acids and alkylamine salts, alkyl esters and alkyl amide derivatives of these fatty acids are effective in improving the lubricity of hydrate inhibitor formulations, thereby effectively reducing the level of wear on moving parts of a pump under a load during pumping of the hydrate inhibitor formulation, for instance into an umbilical for a subsea hydrocarbon production operation.

Abstract: It has been discovered that metals and/or amines can be removed or transferred from a hydrocarbon phase to a water phase in an emulsion breaking process by using a composition that contains water-soluble hydroxyacids. Suitable water-soluble hydroxyacids include, but are not necessarily limited to glycolic acid, gluconic acid, C2-C4 alpha-hydroxy acids, poly-hydroxy carboxylic acids, thioglycolic acid, chloroacetic acid, polymeric forms of the above hydroxyacids, poly-glycolic esters, glycolate ethers, and ammonium salt and alkali metal salts of these hydroxyacids, and mixtures thereof. The composition may also include at least one mineral acid to reduce the pH of the desalter wash water. A solvent may be optionally included in the composition. The invention permits transfer of metals and/or amines into the aqueous phase with little or no hydrocarbon phase undercarry into the aqueous phase.