With Treating Agent Patents (Class 208/188)
  • Patent number: 11685675
    Abstract: A treatment process for municipal, commercial, industrial, and institutional fluids containing one or more substances at a first concentration includes a contactor, an aerator, and a separator. The fluid is mixed with a powdered natural lignocellulosic material (“PNLM”), a microbial growth inoculum, and at least a portion of the fluid in the contactor to provide a mixture that includes an established, acclimated microbial growth in the fluid. The mixture is introduced to an aerator where physical binding and chemical bonding of at least some of the one or more substances to the PNLM additionally physiological uptake by microbial growth in a biosludge reduces the concentration of at least some of the one or more substances in the fluid discharged from the aerator to a second concentration. The biosludge is separated to recover at least a portion of the PNLM that is recycled to the contactor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: NUVODA LLC
    Inventor: Jason Calhoun
  • Patent number: 11660567
    Abstract: Mixed adsorbent/desiccant beds comprising in some embodiments from about 20 vol % (volume percent) to about 90 vol % of one or more adsorbents and from about 10 vol % to about 80 vol % of one or more desiccants, based on the total volume of the adsorbent/desiccant mixture, prevent water reflux during thermal regeneration of adsorption beds in gas processing plants and methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2023
    Assignee: BASF Corporation
    Inventors: William B. Dolan, Michael LoCascio
  • Patent number: 11427768
    Abstract: A method of treating a contaminated oil comprising preparing a brine solution, adding ozone to the brine solution to produce ozonated brine solution, adding a volume of ozonated brine solution to a volume of the contaminated oil, mixing the volumes of contaminated oil and ozonated brine solution with coagulant and surfactant at a shear rate sufficiently high so as to cause formation of an emulsion of the contaminated oil and the brine solution, stopping the mixing, thereby causing the emulsion to separate into an aqueous brine liquid phase and an oil liquid phase, separating the brine liquid phase from the oil liquid phase, and separating at least one contaminant from the oil liquid phase to produce a volume of purified oil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignees: Lake Country Fracwater Specialists, LLC, Addleman Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Francis Miller, Timothy Phillips, Steve Addleman
  • Patent number: 11279870
    Abstract: Methods for breaking polymer-containing treatment fluids for use in subterranean formations are provided. In one or more embodiments, the methods include providing a treatment fluid comprising a base fluid and a polymer, wherein the treatment fluid was recovered from at least a portion of a subterranean formation located at a wellsite; transporting the treatment fluid from the wellsite to an off-site location; and applying a cavitation technique to at least a portion of the treatment fluid at the off-site location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Preston Andrew May, William Walter Shumway, Dale E. Jamison
  • Patent number: 11008521
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method includes controlling water separation in a hydrocarbon stream flowing through a separator train including one or more separator vessels located upstream of a dehydrator by adjusting a flowrate of demulsifier added to the separator train by receiving data from a real-time process test of the separation train, quantifying a demulsifier inertia value from the process data, estimating model fit parameters to the process data to generate a water separation profile (WSP) correlating water draw-off and demulsifier flowrate for the separation train, and during operations, modifying the demulsifier flowrate according to the WSP and according to the inertia value to achieve a received target water separation value for the stream entering the dehydrator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2021
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Guillaume Robert Jean-Francois Raynel, Debora Salomon Marques, Olanrewaju Malcolm Oshinowo
  • Patent number: 11001764
    Abstract: A copolymer useful as a water clarifier for a water phase of a production fluid is selected from those with a first monomer and a second monomer, and in one non-limiting embodiment having the general formula: wherein y is 10 to 50,000; z is 1 to 10,000 and n is 1 to 250. The copolymer may optionally include a third monomer. In an optional embodiment of the process, the fluid has a hydrocarbon phase, and the process further involves simultaneously drying the hydrocarbon phase of the fluid along with clarifying the water phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Holdings LLC
    Inventor: Wojciech Jakubowski
  • Patent number: 10913904
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method includes controlling water separation in a hydrocarbon stream flowing through a separator train including one or more separator vessels located upstream of a dehydrator by adjusting a flowrate of demulsifier added to the separator train by receiving data from a real-time process test of the separation train, quantifying a demulsifier inertia value from the process data, estimating model fit parameters to the process data to generate a water separation profile (WSP) correlating water draw-off and demulsifier flowrate for the separation train, and during operations, modifying the demulsifier flowrate according to the WSP and according to the inertia value to achieve a received target water separation value for the stream entering the dehydrator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Guillaume Robert Jean-Francois Raynel, Debora Salomon Marques, Olanrewaju Malcolm Oshinowo
  • Patent number: 10905972
    Abstract: Systems and methods for separation of oleaginous fluids, aqueous fluids, and solids from drilling or other oilfield emulsions by solvent extraction. A method for separation of oilfield emulsions comprising: providing an oilfield emulsion prepared for use in a wellbore and/or recovered from a wellbore; mixing the oilfield emulsion with at least a solvent to form at least a mixture; and separating the mixture to at least partially recover an oleaginous phase of the oilfield emulsion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy Neal Harvey, Cato Russell McDaniel, Katerina V. Newman
  • Patent number: 10781117
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of dewatering an aqueous mineral suspension comprising introducing into the suspension a flocculating system comprising a mixture of polyethylene glycol and polyethylene oxide polymers, in particular a mixture of one or more low molecular mass polyethylene glycol with one or more high molecular mass polyethylene oxide. Said mixture of polyethylene glycol and polyethylene oxide polymers is useful for the treatment of suspensions of particulate material, especially waste mineral slurries. The invention is particularly suitable for the treatment of tailings and other waste material resulting from mineral processing, in particular, the processing of oil sands tailings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: Dow Global Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Carol E. Mohler, Domonique Downing, Paul A. Gillis, Stephanie L. Hughes, Jason S. Moore, Michael K. Poindexter, Thomas L. Sanders, Jr., Harpreet Singh, Cole A. Witham
  • Patent number: 10683215
    Abstract: A treatment unit includes at least one treatment tank, an intake pump in fluidic communication with the at least one treatment tank via an inlet valve, an output pump in fluidic communication with the at least one treatment tank via a discharge valve, and at least one treatment basket defining a cavity. The at least one treatment basket is removably attached to the at least one treatment tank, and the at least one treatment basket is located above the inlet valve and below the discharge valve. The treatment unit also includes an electrical control panel configured to operate at least one of the intake pump, the inlet valve, the output pump, and the discharge valve. The treatment unit also includes a differential pressure sensor sensing a pressure difference across the at least one treatment basket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES, INC.
    Inventors: Michael Tagge, Kevin Redfern
  • Patent number: 10450498
    Abstract: A hydrocarbon based fluid additive which reciprocally can be added to either condensate diluent or heavy oil, such as in situ, mined oils sands or crude oils, to form a less viscous whole fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: PetroMotion Inc.
    Inventors: Christy Lee Dewalt, Dianne Elizabeth Duff
  • Patent number: 10428276
    Abstract: The invention relates to a feed mixture for use in a process for producing hydrocarbons under increased pressure and temperature conditions, where the feed mixture comprises one or more carbonaceous feedstocks and water, where further a texturing agent has been added to the feed mixture, the texturing agent being adapted to stabilize the feed mixture to prevent separation and further to maintain the feed mixture as a homogenous mixture during a pressurization. Further the invention relates to processes for manufacturing such feed mixture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: STEEPER ENERGY APS
    Inventors: Steen Brummerstedt Iversen, Göran Olofsson
  • Patent number: 10386018
    Abstract: The invention relates to injecting steam into crude oil for several benefits, primarily of which is to remove salt by transferring the salt into the condensed water from the steam. Steam transfers salt via a different transfer mechanism and therefore doesn't require the high shear mixing of conventional water injection systems. As such, steam injection through a variety of procedures, is more efficient at gathering salt into water that itself is easier to remove from the crude oil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: Phillips 66 Company
    Inventors: Keith H. Lawson, Derek H. Willman
  • Patent number: 10329169
    Abstract: The combination of colloidal silica in conjunction with a chemical, such as a cationically-modified water soluble polymer, e.g. aluminum brine dispersion polymer, clarifies combinations of oil and water, for instance wastewater comprising an oil-in-water emulsion. The colloidal silica may have an average silica particle size of about 0.5 to about 10 nanometers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: Baker Hughes, a GE company, LLC
    Inventors: Keith A. Osness, Carlos J. Diaz
  • Patent number: 10241101
    Abstract: A method for determining permittivity of a rock formation mineral matrix includes measuring a permittivity of a sample of the rock. A fractional volume of pore space in the sample is determined. A mixing law and a permittivity of a fluid filling the pore space are used to determine the permittivity of the formation mineral matrix from the measured permittivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: SCHLUMBERGER TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nikita Seleznev, Kamilla Fellah, Bastien Fournie
  • Patent number: 10167388
    Abstract: The present invention is related to formulations consisting of block copolymers ?,?-di-aryl or alkyl sulfonates of poly(ethylene oxide)w-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide)w of bis-ammonium and block copolymers ?,?-di-amine of poly(ethylene oxide)w-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide)w, that are effective in the dewatering and desalting crude whose specific gravities are within the range of 14 to 23°API.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: INSTITUTO MEXICANO DEL PETROLEO
    Inventors: Eugenio Alejandro Flores Oropeza, Cesar Andres Flores Sandoval, Reyna Reyes Martinez, Jose Gonzalo Hernandez Cortez, Alfonso Lopez Ortega, Laura Veronica Castro Sotelo, Fernando Alvarez Ramirez, Arquimedes Estrada Martinez, Flavio Salvador Vazquez Moreno
  • Patent number: 10144862
    Abstract: A well treatment composition is well-designed for the simultaneous enhancement of the production of both liquid and gaseous hydrocarbons from the same reservoir on a non-selective basis. The well treatment composition includes a first surfactant and a second surfactant, wherein the second surfactant is selected from the group consisting of ethoxylated alkylene amines, ethoxylated alkyl amines, propoxylated alkylene amines, propoxylated alkyl amines, ethoxylated-propoxylated alkylene amines and ethoxylated-propoxylated alkyl amines. The well treatment composition also includes a first solvent, a second solvent and water. Methods for using the well treatment composition include the steps of emplacing the well treatment composition into wells having high and low gas-to-oil ratios.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: Flotek Chemistry, LLC
    Inventors: Andrei Zelenev, Lakia M. Champagne, Bill Zhou, Nathan L. Lett, Keith Ingram Dismuke, Glenn S. Penny
  • Patent number: 10126048
    Abstract: This floating liquefied-gas production facility (1) is equipped with: a gas turbine unit (20); a liquefaction facility (90) that has a primary refrigeration compressor (40) driven by the gas turbine unit (20), and cools natural gas; a drum-circulation-type exhaust heat recovery boiler (30) that recovers the energy of exhaust heat from the gas turbine unit (20) as steam; a component separation system (85) that uses the steam generated by the drum-circulation-type exhaust heat recovery boiler (30) as a heat source to separate components in natural gas obtained from the ocean floor, and sends said components to the liquefaction facility (90); and a fuel gas supply device (100) that compresses end-flash gas and/or boil-off gas, and supplies said compressed gas to the gas turbine unit (20) as fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES COMPRESSOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hideki Nagao, Masahiro Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 10125226
    Abstract: A chemical synthesis process is provided for the functionalization of monodispersed triblock copolymer (POEw-POPy-POEw) with secondary or tertiary amines at a semi-industrial level in glass reactors having a capacity between 1 L and 100 L. The process includes two stages where the first stage uses an alkylsulfonyl or arylsulfonyl chloride to obtain better leaving groups, and the second stage is the nucleophilic substitution with secondary or tertiary amines, to obtain the bifunctionalized triblock copolymers. The main advantage for this process is to reduce the quantity of unitary process done in each stage, the optimization of reaction times, and the stoichiometric relationships.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: INSTITUTO MEXICANO DEL PETROLEO
    Inventors: Cesar Andres Flores Sandoval, Eugenio Alejandro Flores Oropeza, Alfonso Lopez Ortega, Jose Gonzalo Hernandez Cortez, Aristeo Estrada Buendia, Laura Veronica Castro Sotelo, Reyna Reyes Martinez, Fernando Alvarez Ramirez, Arquimedes Estrada Martinez, Flavio Salvador Vazquez Moreno
  • Patent number: 10047302
    Abstract: Compositions consisting of block copolymers ?,?-di-aryl or alkyl sulfonates of poly(ethylene oxide)w-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide)w of bis-ammonium and block copolymers ?,?-di-amine of poly(ethylene oxide)w-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide)w, are provided that are effective in the dewatering and desalting crude oils whose specific gravities are within the range of 14 to 20° API. A method of dewatering and desalting heavy crude oil adds a mixture of the copolymer bifunctionalized with an aliphatic or aromatic secondary amine and a copolymer bifunctionalized with an aliphatic or aromatic tertiary amine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: INSTITUTO MEXICANO DEL PETROLEO
    Inventors: Eugenio Alejandro Flores Oropeza, Cesar Andres Flores Sandoval, Reyna Reyes Martinez, Jose Gonzalo Hernandez Cortez, Alfonso Lopez Ortega, Laura Veronica Castro Sotelo, Fernando Alvarez Ramirez, Arquimedes Estrada Martinez, Flavio Salvador Vazquez Moreno
  • Patent number: 10005966
    Abstract: A method for modifying bio-oil derived from biomass pyrolysis, the method including: 1) adding an inorganic salt and an organic demulsifier to a bio-oil; oscillating or stirring the resulting mixture, and resting the resulting mixture, to yield a lower layer being an aqueous solution and an upper layer being the bio-oil, and collecting the bio-oil; 2) employing a zeolite molecular sieve-loaded clay as a catalyst, and aging the catalyst using pure steam, to yield a modified catalyst; and 3) adding the modified catalyst obtained in 2) to a conventional catalytic cracking reactor, injecting the bio-oil obtained in 1) to the conventional catalytic cracking reactor using a piston pump, and allowing the bio-oil to react under a weight hourly space velocity (WHSV) of between 6 and 15 h?1, a temperature of between 380 and 700° C., and a pressure between 0.1 and 0.8 megapascal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: WUHAN KAIDI ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH INSTITUTE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Dashan Wang, Dechen Song, Qianqian Liu, Shenke Zheng, Xiaodong Zhan, Jiaqi Jin, Yanfeng Zhang
  • Patent number: 9969944
    Abstract: A method for removing dissolved hydrocarbons from water may comprise: cracking a mixed hydrocarbon stream in a cracking furnace to produce a cracked gas effluent; quenching the cracked gas effluent in a quench water tower with quench water to produce a quenched gas stream and a spent quench water stream comprising water, tars, heavy aromatic hydrocarbons, gasoline, dissolved oil, and dispersed oil; feeding the spent quench water stream to a liquid-liquid extraction unit wherein the liquid-liquid extraction unit removes at least a portion of the dissolved oil and produce an extracted effluent stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: Janus Technology Solutions, LLC
    Inventors: Sabah A. Kurukchi, Joseph M. Gondolfe
  • Patent number: 9879511
    Abstract: A method of obtaining a hydrocarbon material from a subterranean formation comprises forming a flooding suspension comprising degradable particles and a carrier fluid. The flooding suspension is introduced into a subterranean formation containing a hydrocarbon material to form an emulsion stabilized by the degradable particles and remove the emulsion from the subterranean formation. At least a portion of the degradable particles are degraded to destabilize the emulsion. An additional method of obtaining a hydrocarbon material from a subterranean formation, and a stabilized emulsion are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: Baker Hughes Incorporated
    Inventors: Oleg A. Mazyar, Oleksandr V. Kuznetsov, Gaurav Agrawal, Michael H. Johnson, Valery N. Khabashesku
  • Patent number: 9752084
    Abstract: The present invention is related to formulations consisting by block copolymers ?,?-di-aryl or alkyl sulfonates of poly(ethylene oxide)w-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide)w of bis-ammonium and block copolymers ?,?-di-amine of poly(ethylene oxide)w-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide)w, that are effective in the dewatering and desalting crude whose specific gravities are within the range of 14 to 23° API.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: INSTITUTO MEXICANO DEL PETROLEO
    Inventors: Eugenio Alejandro Flores Oropeza, Cesar Andres Flores Sandoval, Reyna Reyes Martinez, Jose Gonzalo Hernandez Cortez, Alfonso Lopez Ortega, Laura Veronica Castro Sotelo, Fernando Alvarez Ramirez, Arquimedes Estrada Martinez, Flavio Salvador Vazquez Moreno
  • Patent number: 9745521
    Abstract: Compositions consisting of block copolymers ?,?-di-aryl or alkyl sulfonates of poly(ethylene oxide)w-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide)w of bis-ammonium and block copolymers ?,?-di-amine of poly(ethylene oxide)w-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide)w, are provided that are effective in the dewatering and desalting crude oils whose specific gravities are within the range of 14 to 20° API. A method of dewatering and desalting heavy crude oil adds a mixture of the copolymer bifunctionalized with an aliphatic or aromatic secondary amine and a copolymer bifunctionalized with an aliphatic or aromatic tertiary amine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: INSTITUTO MEXICANO DEL PETROLEO
    Inventors: Eugenio Alejandro Flores Oropeza, Cesar Andres Flores Sandoval, Reyna Reyes Martinez, Jose Gonzalo Hernandez Cortez, Alfonso Lopez Ortega, Laura Veronica Castro Sotelo, Fernando Alvarez Ramirez, Arquimedes Estrada Martinez, Flavio Salvador Vazquez Moreno
  • Patent number: 9745540
    Abstract: A method of separating oil from a liquid stillage is disclosed. The stillage includes an aqueous phase and an oil phase. The method comprises adding a separation additive to the stillage and performing at least one separation operation on the stillage to separate an amount of the oil phase from the stillage. The separation additive comprises an ester of an alkoxylated non-cyclic polyol and a fatty acid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: CRODA, INC.
    Inventors: Craig Michael Sungail, Min Ma Wang, Xin Chen, Ronald Eugene Bingeman
  • Patent number: 9676683
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for purifying 1,3-butadiene which can effectively remove an organic compound detrimental to anionic polymerization from 1,3-butadiene containing a polymerization inhibitor and suppress the formation of popcorn. The method includes: a water-washing step of washing 1,3-butadiene by using low-oxygen water having an oxygen concentration of less than 2 mg/L as wash water; and a polymerization inhibitor removing step of subsequently removing the polymerization inhibitor in 1,3-butadiene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Asahi Kasei Chemicals Corporation
    Inventors: Tatsuto Nakahara, Hiroshi Nakano
  • Patent number: 9353261
    Abstract: Disclosed and claimed is a microemulsion-based demulsifier composition and a method of demulsifying an emulsion comprising hydrocarbon and water. The demulsifier composition includes (i) an oil-like phase comprising at least one nonionic surfactant having a hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB) of less than about 9; (ii) a coupling agent capable of stabilizing the demulsifier composition; (iii) at least one water-soluble or dispersible nonionic surfactant that is different from the at least one nonionic surfactant in the oil-like phase; (iv) at least one additional surfactant selected from anionic, cationic, amphoteric, and combinations thereof; (v) at least one nonionic demulsifier; and (vi) water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2016
    Assignee: Nalco Company
    Inventor: Duy T. Nguyen
  • Patent number: 9334175
    Abstract: A method of fluid treatment of a feed comprising oil and water, the method comprising: supplying the feed into a flotation cell, the feed having an oil concentration, the flotation cell containing a working fluid and the working fluid having a surface; removing an oil phase from the surface of the working fluid; removing fluid from the flotation cell through one or more outlets below a working fluid level in the flotation cell; and controlling flow through the one or more outlets to maintain the working fluid level in the flotation cell within a predetermined range independent of variations in the oil concentration of the feed. A related apparatus is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: 1501367 Alberta Ltd.
    Inventor: Wade R. Bozak
  • Patent number: 9308474
    Abstract: The present invention provides compositions, systems and methods for demulsifying an emulsion including an aqueous phase and an organic phase by adding an effective amount of a composition comprising at least one quaternary organopolysiloxane or salt thereof to the emulsion, the composition optionally including at least one of quaternary epihalohydrin/polyamine copolymers or salts, and/or (poly)diallyldimethylammonium halides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignees: KROFF CHEMICAL COMPANY, DOW AGROSCIENCES, LLC
    Inventors: Paul Rey, David M. Sunderlik, Steven P. Ceplecha
  • Patent number: 9297747
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for determining trace amounts of crude oil in water, including the steps of collecting a sample of an oil-containing fluid, adding a toluene extraction volume to the sample, perturbing the sample, dissolving substantially all of the amount of oil in the toluene extraction volume to create a mixed sample, extracting the mixed sample to create an oil-in-toluene layer and an aqueous fluid layer, removing a portion of the oil-in-toluene layer into a dilution container, diluting the portion of the oil-in-toluene layer with a toluene dilution volume to create a dilute sample, measuring an absorption value of the dilute sample using a spectrophotometer, and comparing the absorption value to a calibration curve to quantify the amount of oil in the oil-containing fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
    Inventors: Ming Han, Ali Abdallah Al-Yousef, Salah Hamad Al-Saleh, Mohammed Ali AlGeer, Abdullah Alboqmi
  • Patent number: 9169446
    Abstract: Methods for demulsifying an emulsified petroleum source having a predetermined resin-to-asphaltene ratio without substantial aggregation or precipitation of asphaltenes may include adding a resin supplement to the emulsified petroleum source to form a resin-supplemented emulsion having a resin-to-asphaltene ratio above a predetermined critical value. An acidic-to-basic ratio of acidic functional groups to basic functional groups in the supplemented emulsion may be adjusted to be from about 0.25 to about 4.0. The resin-supplemented emulsion may be contacted with carbon dioxide to form an initial mixture having an emulsified oil phase and an emulsified aqueous phase. The initial mixture may be stabilized to facilitate rupture of the resin-supplemented emulsion, to cause phase separation, and to allow removal of a separated oil phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Zaki Yusuf, Bandar Fadhel
  • Publication number: 20150144503
    Abstract: Methods and systems of treating petroleum feedstock contaminated with naphthenic acids and sulfur are disclosed. The methods and systems include heating the petroleum feedstock to decompose the naphthenic acids, pressurizing to minimize the portion in the vapor phase, sweeping water vapor and carbon dioxide into a headspace with a non-oxidizing gas, removing water vapor and carbon dioxide from the headspace, reacting the sulfur with an alkali metal and a radical capping gas to convert the sulfur into alkali sulfides, and removing the alkali sulfides. Also disclosed is reacting the naphthenic acid with water and an oxide or hydroxide of an alkaline earth element to convert the naphthenic acid into naphthenates, removing water, ketonizing, removing oxides or carbonates, reacting the sulfur with an alkali metal and a radical capping gas to convert the sulfur into alkali sulfides, and removing the alkali sulfides.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2014
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Inventor: John Howard Gordon
  • Patent number: 9028677
    Abstract: In various aspects, the invention provides for processing a hydrocarbon feed having hydrocarbon and emulsified aqueous components demulsifying into hydrocarbon and aqueous phases over an initial demulsification time, with an active agent to form a treated feed. The active agent has an active agent solubility in the hydrocarbon component and in the aqueous component, the aqueous component has an aqueous component solubility in the hydrocarbon component. The active agent solubility in the hydrocarbon component is greater than the aqueous component solubility in the hydrocarbon component. The active agent solubility in the aqueous component is greater than the active agent solubility in the hydrocarbon component. The active agent solubility in the aqueous component is greater than the active agent solubility in the hydrocarbon component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Suncor Energy Inc.
    Inventors: Richard McFarlane, Michael Peter Singleton
  • Patent number: 9028697
    Abstract: The moisture absorption capacity of biofuels can be more or less 10 times that of fossil diesel oil, causing biofuels to form acids that induce metal corrosion and form deposits in the fuel tank and pipe lines. Methods for removing moisture from stored biofuels and plant oils are described wherein glycerol is used as a solvent to extract the moisture from the bioliquid or oil, comprising the steps of placing the biofuel or oil in fluid contact with glycerol, incubating for a time, and then removing the glycerol. A cellulous ester dialysis or other semi-permeable membrane may be used to prevent the glycerol from contaminating the biofuel while allowing moisture to pass. Crude glycerol produced as a byproduct of biodiesel production may be used in the method of the disclosed invention with good result. Preferred embodiments of apparatus that employ the method of the subject invention are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Inventor: Masatoshi Matsumura
  • Patent number: 8999148
    Abstract: Systems and methods to improve the removal and capture of oil from wastewater streams. The water and oil mixture (wastewater) is diluted and treated to provide better solubilization of hydrophilic and hydrophobic fractions using captive water and a diluent. Two additives are added to demulsify and disperse polymeric and non-hydrocarbon insolubles and layer separation is performed on the treated wastewater to segregate oil and water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Enviromental Management Alternatives, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert G. Schory, III
  • Patent number: 8999147
    Abstract: A process allowing the removal of contaminants from an unstable oil such as those produced by thermal or catalytic cracking, wherein, in at least one step of the process, mixing of the unstable oil with a pure or impure solvent having a dipole moment greater than 2 is performed. The stabilized diesels thereby obtained exhibit interesting properties among which significant stability features and are useful in numerous applications, some of these stabilized wide range diesels are new as well as their uses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Envirollea Inc.
    Inventor: Lucie B. Wheeler
  • Patent number: 8956529
    Abstract: Oil-water dispersions and emulsions derived from petroleum industry operations are demulsified and clarified using anionic polymers. Formation of such oil-water dispersion and emulsions is inhibited and mitigated using the anionic polymers. The anionic polymers comprise: A) 2-80% by weight of at least one C3-C8 ?,?-ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid monomer; B) 15-80% by weight of at least one nonionic, copolymerizable ?,?-ethylenically unsaturated monomer; C) 1-50% by weight of one or more of the following monomers: C1) at least one nonionic vinyl surfactant ester; or C2) at least one nonionic, copolymerizable ?,?-ethylenically unsaturated monomer having longer polymer chains than monomer B), or C3) at least one nonionic urethane monomer; and, optionally, D) 0-5% by weight of at least one crosslinker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Rohm and Haas Company
    Inventors: Norman Edward Byrne, Joseph Manna, Somil Chandrakant Mehta, Peter Rozowski
  • Publication number: 20150027926
    Abstract: A demulsifier and dispersant for treating petroleum crude oils and biofuels prior to desalter and heater treater processing can also be used to treat slop oils and clean drill cuttings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2014
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Applicant: MALCERA, L.L.C.
    Inventor: Gordon K. Goldman
  • Patent number: 8926833
    Abstract: A continuous process for upgrading a heavy hydrocarbon includes the steps of: obtaining a heavy hydrocarbon; heating the heavy hydrocarbon; contacting the heavy hydrocarbon with a solvent at upgrading conditions so as to produce a first product comprising a mixture of upgraded hydrocarbon and solvent and a second product comprising asphaltene waste and water; continuously feeding the first product and the second product to a first separator; heating the first product; and continuously feeding the first product to a second separator to separate the upgraded hydrocarbon from the solvent. A system is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Intevep, S.A.
    Inventors: Manuel Chirinos, Galanda Morfes, Mariángel Alvarez, Félix Silva
  • Patent number: 8911615
    Abstract: A composition and method demulsify a produced emulsion from anionic surfactants and polymer (SP) and alkali, surfactants, and polymer (ASP). The produced emulsion is demulsified into oil and water. In one embodiment, the composition includes a surfactant. The surfactant comprises a cationic surfactant, an amphoteric surfactant, or any combinations thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignees: William Marsh Rice University, NALCO Company
    Inventors: Olina G. Raney, John Hera, Jr., Duy T. Nguyen, Michael K. Poindexter, George J. Hirasaki, Clarence A. Miller
  • Publication number: 20140360920
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for breaking of preferred, but not exclusive, oil-in-water emulsions (O/W) and water separation from crude oil emulsions using surfactants as demulsifying agents derived from natural or synthetic amino acids, which are water soluble. The surfactants are of the methanesulfonate series of glycine ester derivatives with hydrocarbon chains, preferably between C10 and C16, at a concentration between 450 and 900 ppm, at a temperature range of 30 to 60° C. The removal of water from the crude oil by using natural or synthetic amino acid-based demulsifiers is highly efficient (about 80%) and complemented with the action of an electric field typically used in electrostatic separators in crude oil terminals ad oil refineries, increasing the efficiency of water separation substantially, and enabling the production of dehydrated crude oil for further processing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2014
    Publication date: December 11, 2014
    Inventors: Romeo Jesus REYES AVILA, Rafael MARTINEZ PALOU, Ricardo CERON CAMACHO, Alba Adriana VALLEJO CORONA, Rafael RODRIGUEZ DOMINGUEZ, Benjamin CHAVEZ GOMEZ, Jorge Arturo ABURTO ANELL
  • Patent number: 8900460
    Abstract: A method for processing interface emulsion, water, and solids contained within a separator vessel that comprises the steps of continually extracting those components from the vessel and then passing them through a gas flotation cell. The cell, which is preferably a vertical induced gas flotation cell, separates the oil and water contained in the interface emulsion and discharges recovered oil from an upper portion of the cell and treated water from a bottom portion of the cell. The recovered oil and treated water may be further processed and recycled to the vessel or sent elsewhere. The treated water may also be recycled to the cell or sent to a process sewer. Fuel gas residing in an upper portion of the cell may be cooled and passed through a splitter. All the steps of the method comprise a closed system with no air emissions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Cameron International Corporation
    Inventors: Gary W. Sams, Ronald D. Hypes
  • Publication number: 20140332446
    Abstract: There is disclosed a method of separating a mixture (e.g. dispersion) of oil and water into oil-rich and water-rich phases, the method comprising the steps: (i) selecting a mixture which comprises oil recovered from a subterranean formation and a treatment formulation, wherein said treatment formulation was added to the oil in order to facilitate its recovery and/or mobility, wherein said treatment formulation has an Interfacial Tension (IFT), measured against a sample of said oil in the range 2 to 20 mN/m; (ii) directing said mixture to a separation means; and (iii) in the absence of a chemical demulsifier, heating the mixture until separation is effected at least partially under gravity. Preferably the IFT is in the range 9 to 12 mN/m. The mixture of oil and water may be formed by treating oil in a subterranean formation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2012
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Applicant: OILFLOW SOLUTIONS HOLDINGS LIMITED
    Inventors: Philip Fletcher, Jeffrey Forsyth, Cory Jaska
  • Publication number: 20140262952
    Abstract: A method for treating an emulsion of a hydrocarbon is disclosed. The method includes providing an emulsion of a crude hydrocarbon, and adding an additive to the emulsion to obtain a treated hydrocarbon.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: Mohsen Shahmirzadi YEGANEH, ManKit NG, Timothy Andrew BARCKHOLTZ, Glen Barry BRONS, Hong CHENG, Matthew W. HOLTCAMP, Geoffrey Marshall KEISER, Donna J. CROWTHER, Patrick BRANT, David T. FERRUGHELLI, Clarence CHASE, Emmanuel ULYSSE, Edward A. LEMON
  • Publication number: 20140271432
    Abstract: A decontamination system for decontaminating at least one contaminant in a process stream. Decontaminant liquid is dispersed into the process stream using atomization. A controller detects contaminant levels in the process stream and adjusts the flow of decontaminant fluid into the process stream in response.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Inventor: Lance Witt
  • Publication number: 20140262953
    Abstract: A multipurpose chemical additives (MPC) is disclosed to mitigate fouling in hydrocarbon refinery processes, such as in a heat exchanger. A method for reducing fouling of a hydrocarbon is also disclosed that includes (i) providing a crude hydrocarbon for a refining process; and (ii) adding an additive to the crude hydrocarbon.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
    Inventors: ManKit NG, Mohsen Shahmirzadi YEGANEH, Timothy Andrew BARCKHOLTZ, Glen Barry BRONS, Hong CHENG, Matthew W. HOLTCAMP, Geoffrey Marshall KEISER, Donna J. CROWTHER, Patrick BRANT, David T. FERRUGHELLI, Clarence CHASE, Emmanuel ULYSSE, Edward A. LEMON
  • Publication number: 20140238901
    Abstract: Compositions consisting of block copolymers ?,?-di-aryl or alkyl sulfonates of poly(ethylene oxide)w-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide)w of bis-ammonium and block copolymers ?,?-di-amine of poly(ethylene oxide)w-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide)w, are provided that are effective in the dewatering and desalting crude oils whose specific gravities are within the range of 14 to 20° API. A method of dewatering and desalting heavy crude oil adds a mixture of the copolymer bifunctionalized with an aliphatic or aromatic secondary amine and a copolymer bifunctionalized with an aliphatic or aromatic tertiary amine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2014
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Inventors: Eugenio Alejandro FLORES OROPEZA, Cesar Andres FLORES SANDOVAL, Reyna REYES MARTINEZ, Jose Gonzalo HERNANDEZ CORTEZ, Alfonso LOPEZ ORTEGA, Laura Veronica CASTRO SOTELO, Fernando ALVAREZ RAMIREZ, Arquimedes ESTRADA MARTINEZ, Flavio Salvador VAZQUEZ MORENO
  • Publication number: 20140238900
    Abstract: The present invention is related to formulations consisting by block copolymers ?,?-di-aryl or alkyl sulfonates of poly(ethylene oxide)w-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide)w of bis-ammonium and block copolymers ?,?-di-amine of poly(ethylene oxide)w-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide)w, that are effective in the dewatering and desalting crude whose specific gravities are within the range of 14 to 23° API.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2014
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Inventors: Eugenio Alejandro FLORES OROPEZA, Cesar Andres FLORES SANDOVAL, Reyna REYES MARTINEZ, Jose Gonzalo HERNANDEZ CORTEZ, Alfonso LOPEZ ORTEGA, Laura Veronica CASTRO SOTELO, Fernando ALVAREZ RAMIREZ, Arquimedes ESTRADA MARTINEZ, Flavio Salvador VAZQUEZ MORENO
  • Patent number: 8815960
    Abstract: The present invention relates to demulsifying and dehydrating formulations of heavy crude oil based block copolymers amine bifunctionalized with low polydispersities. These formulations can contain solvents whose boiling point is in the range from 35 to 200° C., preferably: dichloromethane, chloroform, toluene, xylenes, turbosine, naphtha or mixtures thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Instituto Mexicano Del Petroleo
    Inventors: Gabriel Cendejas Santana, Eugenio Alejandro Flores Oropeza, Laura Verónica Castro Sotelo, Aristeo Estrada Buendía, Marcelo Lozada y Cassou, Flavio Salvador Vázquez Moreno