Abstract: Green demulsifiers useful for demulsifying emulsions of water and crude oil are made by reacting together an alcohol, a multifunctional acid and/or anhydride, and a fatty acid, and optionally a polyol that is polyethylene glycol and/or polypropylene glycol. The green demulsifier has ester bonds between the reactant moieties. These ester bonds can hydrolyze which results in relatively high biodegradation.

Abstract: A scale inhibitor squeeze treatment is enhanced by injecting a pre-flush solution into a wellbore, where the pre-flush solution includes at least one organic carbonate solvent, such as a dialkyl carbonate and/or a cyclic carbonate. The use of an organic carbonate solvent can help prevent the pre-flush solution emulsion formation, help avoid water-blocking, and enhance scale inhibitor adsorption. The use of an organic carbonate solvent also permits the pre-flush solution to be free of water, in one non-limiting embodiment.

Abstract: Non-acidic sulfur compounds (e.g., thiols) can be selectively extracted from a hydrocarbon stream containing them (e.g., crude oil) by contacting the hydrocarbon stream with a carbonate solvent that contains at least one organic carbonate (e.g., propylene carbonate) in an amount effective to selectively absorb and extract the non-acidic sulfur compounds therefrom. The carbonate solvent may optionally also comprise an additional solvent (e.g., caprolactam), a soluble metal salt (e.g., a metal salt where the metal is iron), and/or a mercaptan scavenger that is a heterocyclic amine (e.g., oxazolidine).

Abstract: In gas hydrate inhibitor formulations used to prevent or inhibit the formation of gas hydrates in multi-phase fluids, such as hydrocarbon production fluids, conventional solvents can be largely replaced by at least one organic carbonate solvent, such as ethylene carbonate, propylene carbonate, and/or glycerol carbonate. The gas hydrate inhibitors in these formulations may be, but are not necessarily limited to, polyesteramides, polyvinylpyrrolidones, and the like. The use of an organic carbonate in the gas hydrate inhibitor formulation can improve the capability of the formulation for inhibiting or preventing gas hydrate formation in a multi-phase fluid.

Abstract: A scale inhibitor squeeze treatment is enhanced by injecting a pre-flush solution into a wellbore, where the pre-flush solution includes at least one organic carbonate solvent, such as a dialkyl carbonate and/or a cyclic carbonate. The use of an organic carbonate solvent can help prevent the pre-flush solution emulsion formation, help avoid water-blocking, and enhance scale inhibitor adsorption. The use of an organic carbonate solvent also permits the pre-flush solution to be free of water, in one non-limiting embodiment.

Abstract: Dispersants including at least one organic carbonate can keep deposits dispersed within hydrocarbons, where the solids are asphaltenes and derivatives from triazine-based H2S scavengers.

Abstract: A method for selective extraction of lithium from geothermal brines using host-guest complexes of host molecules such as calixarene, dendrimeric polymers, hyper-branched polymers, and/or acid-catalyzed resins complexed with synergists such as organic acids, condensation polymers, olefin/maleic anhydride copolymers, and/or chelants.