Abstract: The invention provides a method for removing mercury from a liquid hydrocarbon feed material by (a) removing those components having a higher molecular weight than the desired hydrocarbon from the feed material, (b) removing water from the feed material, and thereafter (c) removing mercury from the feed material. Mercury can be removed to an extremely low concentration of 0.001 ppm or lower from a wide variety of liquid hydrocarbon feed materials containing either a relatively large amount or a trace amount of mercury.

Abstract: A mixture of an oil sludge and an oil-contained waste water is first separated into a first oil-contained water and an oily dust containing metal-contained dust, fine metal powder and small fragments. Secondly, the oily dust is washed and separated into a harmless oil-free dust and a second oil-contained water containing the metal. Finally, both the first and second oil-contained water are separated into oil, harmless water and metal hydroxide by electrolysis. Thus, the mixture of the oil sludge and the oil-contained waste water is separated into components, which are in turn recovered, recycled, or converted into new materials, and the purification of the waste water can be realized.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for extracting water mixed with a liquid fluid. The process is characterized in particular by carrying out the following steps:forming a dispersion of hydrates of a gas within the fluid, these hydrates being formed from water and gas in a sufficient quantity, the gas being suitable for forming hydrates;separating the hydrates from at least most of the fluid, the hydrates possibly being with a remaining part of the fluid, andbreaking down the hydrates previously concentrated in order to obtain gas and water.

Abstract: An improvement has been discovered in a process for solvent dewaxing a hydrocarbon lubricating oil stock. Solvent dewaxed oils are steam stripped and then vacuum dehydrated at 2.5 psia at the steam stripping temperature of 350.degree. F. to 450.degree. F. Nitrogen or natural gas having a dew point of -100.degree. F. or lower is contacted with the oil at 0.5 to 1 SCF/bbl. A solvent free lubricating oil is produced which is water haze free in cold storage.

Abstract: System for recovering purified oil from a mixture of oil, water, and solid particles; comprising allowing the mixture to settle while heating to about 160.degree. F. to form a lower water layer and an upper oil layer; pumping off the water layer and passing it through a strainer to separate solids; pumping off the oil, passing it through a strainer to remove solids, heating the strained oil and passing it through a purification step including filtering fine solids, heating the oil to vaporize any volatile components, and separating the vapors so produced.

Abstract: In the past, it has proven difficult to separate dirt and water from petroleum emulsions of the type found, e.g. in settling ponds. A relatively simple apparatus for effecting such separation includes a sifter or screening device for removing large solid impurities from the emulsion, a preheater for reducing the viscosity of the emulsion, a centrifuge or filter for separating most of the dirt particles from the emulsion, a settling tank for receiving the emulsion from the dirt separator, and an evaporator for separating most of the water from the petroleum. The dirt removed in the dirt separator with residual oil attached thereto is mixed with a fuel oil and burned to create the heat necessary to evaporate the water. The petroleum separated in the evaporator is cycled through the preheater for heating incoming dirty petroleum emulsion. The evaporator contains trays carrying a plurality of rows of tubes. The water-containing emulsion is fed into the uppermost tray into heat exchange contact with the tubes.

Abstract: The specification describes and claims a method for the de-emulsification of emulsions of water and crude oil which comprises treating the emulsion with an organosiloxane, a siloxane unit having a quaternary ammonium group R'N.sup.+ (R.sup.2).sub.3 X.sup.- linked to its silicon atom, R' represents a divalent hydrocarbon group linking the silicon and nitrogen atoms, each R.sup.2 represents an alkyl group having up to 20 carbon atoms or a polyoxyalkylene chain having 3 to 50 oxyalkylene groups, and X.sup.- represents a halogen ion. Examples of organosiloxanes given include those composed exclusively of the said units, and copolymers composed of these siloxane units and siloxane units according to the general formula R.sub.b (SiO.sub.4-b)/2 in which each R is a substituted or unsubstituted hydrocarbon group of up to 10 carbon atoms, and b has the value 0. 1, 2 or 3, for example those according to the average general formulaR.sub.3 SiO(R.sub.2 SiO).sub.x (RZSiO).sub.y SiR.sub.

Abstract: A method and system for reducing the oil concentration of a produced, hydrocarbon-containing fluid to no more than about 10 ppm and softening the deoiled fluid to reduce scale-forming constituents. The method and system are capable of treating fluids having temperatures within the range from approximately 120.degree. C. to approximately 160.degree. C., without the need for cooling the fluid to perform either the deoiling step or the softening step. In a preferred embodiment, the deoiling step is performed by first filtering the hot fluid in a first set of coalescing filters and then in a second, identical set of coalescing filters, and the softening step is performed in a thermal softening unit wherein steam is directly sparged into the deoiled fluid in a reaction zone under pressure sufficient to prevent boiling at the reaction zone temperature.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for separating an organic material from a composition comprising said organic material intermixed with particulate solids, the process comprising advancing a light hydrocarbon fluid through said particulate solids at an effective rate to drive at least some of said organic material from said particulate solids, adding water to said composition containing particulate solids and residual organic material to produce a second composition, and adding an oxidizing agent to said second composition in an amount sufficient to remove substantially all of the residual organic material.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a new and integrated process involving the utilization of a primary adsorption bed containing a regenerable, physical absorbent and an auxiliary sorption bed containing a chemisorbent and an optional physical absorbent for the removal of sulfur compounds and water from a fluid stream, which process provides for higher yields, higher purity and lower costs.

Abstract: The present invention provides a facile method of oil removal from an oil-water emulsion containing suspended solid particulates. In general, the method utilizes a volatile solvent which is liquefied under pressure and forms a two-phase system when in contact with the emulsion.

Abstract: In a technique for recovering hydrocarbon values from a heavy hydrocarbon-water mixture, the mixture is first delivered through a sub-assembly to remove solid particulates. Then the mixture is delivered through a series of heat exchanger--kettle arrangements in which the mixture is heated above the boiling point of water. Some of the steam formed is allowed to escape through steam removal devices in the heat exchanger. The inside of the heat exchanger includes a plurality of discrete baffles which are unconnected to the heat exchanger and which can be readily removed therefrom. Heating of the mixture continues in the kettles where the bulk of the water is boiled off the mixture. A heavy hydrocarbon oil is recovered in the liquid outlet from the last kettle. The vapors boiled off are recovered and condensed to recover a light hydrocarbon oil and quite pure water.

Abstract: The salt content of crude oil is reduced by washing crude oil containing residual salt water with wash water of lower salinity than the water present in the crude oil and allowing the resulting mixture to settle into a layer of crude oil of reduced salt water content and a layer of saline water. The quantity of wash water employed is greater than 7.5% by volume of the crude oil.The saline water may be recycled and a proportion removed from the recycle stream and a corresponding quantity of water of lower salinity added.Washing with relatively large quantities of water results in the formation of a less stable emulsion. Consequently, less severe conditions are required to break it to recover the desalted crude oil.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for the working up of salvage oil, in which the salvage oil is subjected to an extraction under supercritical conditions. The halogen compounds contained in the produced extract are removed by catalytic hydrogenation. The extraction residue is eliminated by deposition or thermal treatment (gasification). In the case of a thermal treatment of the extraction residue, other residues can be simultaneously converted, so that the process is performed without yield of environmentally burdensome residues or by-products. Ethane in particular and/or propane is employed as solvent for the supercritical extraction.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for removing residual water from heavy crude oil comprising a casing, an inlet for admitting liquid crude oil into the casing so as to establish a liquid surface in the casing, an outlet passage for discharging dehydrated liquid crude oil from the casing, a heater in the casing for maintaining the liquid oil at a distillation temperature for evaporating water and light hydrocarbons, a vapor outlet for discharging a mixture of water vapor and light hydrocarbons evaporated from the crude oil, a spray device above the surface of the liquid in the casing for spraying incoming crude oil onto and in heat exchange contact with the surface of the heated oil in the casing, whereby water and light hydrocarbon vapors are distilled from incoming crude oil upon contact with the surface of the heated liquid crude oil.

Abstract: Hydrocarbon-containing liquid waste sludges from refinery waste streams can be disposed of by blending with the feedstock being passed to a fluid catalytic cracking unit. Preferably, the sludge is premixed with a hydrocarbon, such as a light oil, prior to mixing with the feed.

Abstract: Contaminated oil is reclaimed for fuel use by pumping same through an oil filter into one side of a divided tank then through a heater to burn off water and antifreeze and then into the other side of the divided tank where the oil is blended with other clean oil, such as diesel fuel, which is then pumped through a water separator and another oil filter into a fuel supply tank from which it is pumped and used for blending. The divided tank is mounted on wheels and carries the various components such as pumps, heater, valves, piping, filter and so forth.

Abstract: In the desalting of crude oil, water-insoluble solids such as rust, iron sulfide, silt, clay, drilling mud components, etc., contained in the crude accumulate in an interfacial emulsion layer or cuff between the desalted crude and water phases. The major portion of this cuff is recycled to the crude feed and the remainder is mixed with a light diluent oil to break the emulsion and then settled to separate the crude and the water. The water-insoluble solids separate with the water. The separated oil phase may be combined with the desalted crude.

Abstract: The salt content of crude oil is reduced by washing it with at least 1% by volume of wash water of lower salinity than the water present in the crude oil and separating the resulting mixture of oil and water into a layer of crude oil of reduced salt content and a layer of saline water containing some oil. The latter is passed through a cross-flow membrane separator and the oil-free permeate is removed from the separator as effluent. The oil retentate is recycled from the separator to the washing stage and a quantity of lower salinity than the water associated initially with the crude oil is added to the washing stage. The quantity of added water corresponds at least to the volume of permeate removed from the cross-flow membrane separator.Since the oil is recycled, the need for oil recovery plant for treating desalter effluent is removed.

Abstract: A method and device for reclaiming fluid lubricants, such as oil, which removes both solid and liquid contaminants from the fluid through efficient, adjustable filters and vacuum distillation.

Abstract: A process for the simultaneous de-emulsification and de-asphalting of heavy oil/water emulsions containing asphaltics enables de-asphalted oil, asphaltics and emulsion water to be separately recovered. A heavy oil/water emulsion is mixed with a solvent to cause the emulsion to be broken with consequent dissolution of oil by the solvent and coalescence of emulsion water and asphaltics as fast settling particles, the solvent comprising a light C.sub.4 to C.sub.7 paraffinic composition and the weight of solvent being from about 2 to about 5 times the weight of heavy oil. The water/asphaltic particles are separated from the bulk of the oil/solvent phase and are fed into a water bath to produce relatively large stable asphaltic agglomerates with exclusion of emulsion water. The asphaltic agglomerates are removed from the hot water bath, and de-asphalted oil is recovered from the oil/solvent phase.

Abstract: Middle phase emulsions are broken by subjecting the emulsion to a first atmospheric distillation step to remove water, followed by a second vacuum distillation step to recover oil. The residue contains the surfactant. The atmospheric distillation is generally carried out by steam distillation.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for treating an oil-in-water, such as a bitumen-in-water emulsion, by premixing the emulsion for a sufficient period of time to permit it to become fully intermixed with emulsion breaking diluents and other additive materials. The modified, bitumen-containing emulsion stream is circulated through a premixer. At least a part of the emulsion stream is recirculated therein to intermix with fresh incoming emulsion flow. Thereafter the now more thoroughly intermixed emulsion, together with the various diluents and additives, is in better condition to be introduced to a separator unit for affecting a quiescent separation of water from the bitumen.

Abstract: Oil is dehydrated and/or desalted by the influence of a dewatering and desalting formulation which can be characterized as an admixture of (i) a demulsifier preferably an alkylene oxide alkyl phenol-formaldehyde condensate such as a poly ethoxylated nonylphenol-formaldehyde condensate and (ii) a deoiler which is usefully a polyol such as ethylene glycol or poly (ethylene glycol) of Mw ranging from 106 to 44,000 and preferably ethylene glycol.The aqueous formulation may usefully contain a cosolvent such as isopropanol.

Abstract: An oil-in-water emulsion of crude oil, water and hydrophilic surfactant is resolved by first heating said emulsion until it separates into a surfactant laden water layer and an oil-rich emulsion layer, removing the water layer from the oil-rich emulsion layer, treating the emulsion layer by the addition of from 20 to 40 volume percent of water containing a demulsifier and recovering the crude oil which separates from the water upon standing.

Abstract: A process for de-watering distillate fuel oil to render the final product clear and bright includes the steps of passing the fuel oil from the stripping step and after process heat recovery and prior to sending to storage to a first heat exchanger and then a separate second heat exchange system to sequentially reduce the temperature of the moisture laden oil before introducing the oil to a sand coalescer vessel where removal of the moisture takes place; the de-watered oil is then passed through the first heat exchanger to raise its temperature a small amount before being passed to a storage tank.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the treatment of a hydrocarbon charge by high temperature ultrafiltration, said process comprising the steps of circulating said charge in a module comprising at least one mineral ultrafiltration barrier coated with a sensitive mineral layer of at least one metal oxide and of operating at a temperature higher than 100.degree. C. The barrier, which preferably has a ceramic or metallic support, is coated with a sensitive layer selected from the group comprising titanium dioxide, magnesium oxide, aluminium oxide, spinel MgAl.sub.2 O.sub.4, silica. The invention is applicable to the regeneration of a waste oil and to the reduction of the rate of asphaltenes in a hydrocarbon charge.

Abstract: Heavy oils, including oil sands, are recovered from mined or in-situ formation by a novel procedure which involves an initial emulsification of the oil with aqueous alkali, usually sodium hydroxide solution, at a pH above about 11. After separation of any residual solid phase, such as sand, the resulting oil-in-water emulsion is inverted by the use of slaked lime to form a water-in-oil emulsion and thereby regenerating part of the sodium hydroxide solution. The water-in-oil emulsion is dewatered to recover the oil phase while the aqueous phase is recycled to the initial emulsification, after removal of clay particles when oil sands are treated.

Abstract: For separating an emulsion comprising substantially a heavier and a lighter liquid there is used a plurality of superimposed, liquid-filled, shallow separation chambers which have a lower outlet for separated heavier liquid, an upper outlet for separated lighter liquid, and an emulsion-inlet remote from the outlets. The separation chambers are maintained under an overpressure by causing the heavier and the lighter liquid, separated in the chambers by self-separation under the action of gravity, to pass from the chambers via a respective one of two pressure-holding vessels containing a respective heavier or lighter liquid. The emulsion is fed batchwise into at least one separation chamber at a time, at a temperature greater than the temperature of the liquid already present in the chamber, and in a volumetric amount which is less than the volume of the chamber.

Abstract: In a process in which a feedstock is provided through a desalting unit prior to introduction into a fractional distillation column, the feed stream flowing to the desalting unit is split and passed through multiple heat exchangers. Method and apparatus is provided for maintaining a desired effluent flow rate out of the desalting unit and for maintaining the temperatures of the split feed streams substantially equal. After passing through the desalting unit the feed stream may again be split and passed through multiple heat exchangers prior to introduction of the feed stream into the fractional distillation column. Method and apparatus is also provided for maintaining the temperature of the split feed streams provided from the desalting unit substantially equal.

Abstract: Process and apparatus for recovering clean water and solids from aqueous solids. Aqueous solids are mixed with a low viscosity, relatively volatile, water-immiscible light fluidizing oil to obtain a mixture which will remain fluid and pumpable after removal of essentially its entire water content. The mixture of solids, water and fluidizing oil is subjected to a dehydration step by heat evaporation whereby substantially all of the water and at least part of the light oil are evaporated and subsequently recovered. The light fluidizing oil is then largely separated from the solids. Those solids carrying residual light fluidizing oil are then brought into direct contact with steam, referred to herein as "blowing steam". The presence of the blowing steam reduces the boiling point of the water-immiscible light fluidizing oil to effect its more efficient removal from the solids. Effluent blowing steam and light oil vapor removed from the solids may be used to supply heat to the overall process.

Abstract: A tar separating device for separating tar from hot rinsing liquid, specifically, the rinsing liquid of a receiver of a coke oven battery including a container having a rinsing liquid inlet, a solids removal device for removing solids from the liquid as the liquid enters the container, a tar dewatering chamber located in the container near the inlet such that the rinsing liquid entering the container flows over the outer surface of the chamber and a tube in the container for conveying rinsing liquid into the tar dewatering chamber. The inlet to the tube is located at a point distant from the rinsing liquid inlet to the container. At the tube inlet point, the temperature of the liquid is lower than that at the inlet. The present invention utilizes this temperature differential to effect a particularly distinct separation between the tar and the water. The device further includes means for separately removing the tar and the water from the dewatering chamber.

Abstract: A method for treating a spent emulsion of oil in water used in an industrial process, in particular an emulsion of cutting oil in water is described.The method comprises at least one stage in which heat energy is supplied continuously to said emulsion for evaporating a predetermined quantity of the water contained therein and to raise the concentration of said oil in the emulsion to a value such as to enable this latter to be burnt in an industrial burner, said heat energy being at least partly provided by utilizing solar energy, and further comprises at least one stage of burning the emulsion of said oil concentration in a burner in an industrial or heating plant.

Abstract: Opaque macroemulsions comprising oil and brine are diluted with water to an electrolyte concentration at which rapid coalescence into three phases, oil, a transparent microemulsion, and water is achieved. This is of particular utility in post-primary oil recovery processes wherein said opaque macroemulsions are produced as effluents from producing wells. The opaque macroemulsions are collected and oil therein recovered by dilution as described herein.

Abstract: A process for desalting crude petroleum comprises breaking down a stable emulsion of water and crude petroleum when formed in a desalter, by injecting a demulsifying agent, such as di-2-ethyl hexyl sulphosuccinate, into the desalter at a predetermined level, when the sample taken at this level contain a predetermined content of stable emulsion.An apparatus for carrying out this process continuously is also included.

Abstract: Tars and hydrocarbon oils containing water are dehydrated in a thermally efficient and environmentally acceptable manner. The tars or hydrocarbon oils are heated externally to any holding vessel to a temperature equivalent to at least 100.degree. C. at atmospheric pressure and are sprayed into a holding vessel to enhance the separation of water from the tars or hydrocarbon oils. Then the water in the vapor state is removed from the holding vessel and scrubbed to remove any noxious chemicals.

Abstract: A technique is described for breaking the very strong emulsion of shale oil and water produced by an in situ oil shale retorting process so that separate shale oil and water phases can be recovered. The emulsion is broken by maintaining a volume of such emulsion at a bulk temperature of at least about 120.degree. F., and momentarily heating portions of emulsion to a temperature substantially higher than the bulk temperature of the emulsion. Preferably the emulsion of shale oil and water is held at a bulk temperature in the range of from about 120.degree. to 190.degree. F. in contact with heating means maintained in the range of from about 170.degree. F. to about 240.degree. F. Momentary localized heating of emulsion to a temperature substantially higher than the bulk temperature of the emulsion accelerates the breaking of the emulsion.

Abstract: Slurrying of water-wet wax particles in liquid hydrocarbon carrier is improved by introducing the water wet particles in a rotating perforated cylinder, e.g., screen, immersed in a flowing stream of liquid carrier above a settling chamber. The flow rates of the liquid carrier and the water-wet particles are controlled to give desired water separation and slurry concentrations for subsequent pipelining. The water falls to the bottom of the settling chamber for removal.

Abstract: Inorganic phosphorus-containing acids and salts thereof in small amounts function as antifoulant additives in crude oil systems employed as feedstocks in petroleum refining which are subjected to elevated temperatures of from about 100.degree. to 1500.degree. F. and which are prone to produce fouling material that deposits and accumulates upon the surfaces of petroleum processing equipment, such as heat transfer equipment and the like. Such additives not only inhibit and suppress fouling but also reduce fouling in previously fouled refining systems.

Abstract: Process and apparatus for recovering clean water from aqueous wastes by evaporation while avoiding scaling and fouling as well as corrosion of the evaporator tubes. Addition of an oil, preferably a volatile oil, to the aqueous waste feed results in the formation of a coating of said oil on the surfaces of the tubes, thereby preventing corrosion and fouling and build-up of scale deposits. Volatile oil that distills over is separated from the aqueous distillate by conventional means and may be recirculated.

Abstract: A method of obtaining a refined oil product from low-grade oils containing a relatively large amount of water and/or sludge, which comprises the steps of introducing a low-grade oil directly into a fluidized bed type cracking furnace and subjecting it to thermal cracking therein, introducing the resulting efflux from said cracking furnace into a fractionation column and therein separating it into an overhead light vapor component which is removed from the top of said column and a heavy component which is recovered from the bottom of said column, cooling the overhead light vapor component and then feeding it into a gas-liquid separator to divide it into a vapor-phase stream and a liquidphase stream, and circulating a part of said liquid-phase stream to the top of the fractionation column as reflux while recovering the balance of the liquid-phase stream as the refined oil product.

Abstract: A method of breaking down oil emulsions comprising, in accordance with the invention, heating the oil emulsion to be broken down to a temperature of from 40.degree. to 70.degree.C, preferably from 60.degree. to 65.degree.C, and bubbling air at the rate of from 0.1 to 10 nm.sup.3 per 1 m.sup.3 of the emulsion (preferably from 1 to 4 nm.sup.3 per 1 m.sup.3 of the emulsion) through said heated oil emulsion until total breakdown thereof occurs as a result of oxidation of the natural oil emulsifiers contained therein.

Abstract: Process and apparatus for recovering clean water from aqueous wastes by evaporation while avoiding scaling and fouling as well as corrosion of the evaporator tubes. Addition of an oil, preferably a volatile oil, to the aqueous waste feed results in the formation of a coating of said oil on the surfaces of the tubes, thereby preventing corrosion and fouling and build-up of scale deposits. Volatile oil that distills over is separated from the aqueous distillate by conventional means and may be recirculated.

Abstract: The invention comprises a method of evaporating an aqueous solution containing dissolved solids or mineral salts without adherence of the solids or mineral salts to any surfaces contacting the aqueous solution which comprises the following steps:A. Flowing the aqueous solution as an outside or continuous medium, mixed with sufficient dispersed oil to form a continuous film on all preferentially oil wettable contacting surfaces, upwardly through a confined heating and vaporizing zone having therein contacting heating elements, the surfaces of which are of substantially zero water adsorbent polymeric fluorocarbon material and totally wetted with a film of oil, thereby converting a portion of the aqueous solution to water vapor and precipitated solids, and forming a mixture of oil, misty vapors, solids, and remaining aqueous solution; andB.