Abstract: A system for sand cleaning including: a cleaning unit arranged to receive oil impregnated sand; the unit including a chamber having an impeller, said impeller arranged to agitate the oil impregnated sand in a base of the unit; an aperture in the base of the unit arranged to discharge the treated sand; an oil outlet adjacent to a top of the unit arranged to discharge the separated oil.

Abstract: The invention relates to the use of nondendrimeric, high-functionality hyperbranched polyesters and polycarbonates which are obtainable by reacting (i) at least one aliphatic, cycloaliphatic, araliphatic or aromatic dicarboxylic acid (A2) or derivatives thereof, or organic carbonates (A2?) with (ii) at least one x-hydric aliphatic, cycloaliphatic, araliphatic or aromatic alcohol (Cx) which has more than two OH groups, where x is a number greater than 2, preferably from 3 to 8, more preferably from 3 to 6, even more preferably from 3 to 4 and especially 3, and (iii) at least one fatty acid amide alkoxylate (D) of saturated or unsaturated C2-C30 fatty acid amides with an average of from 1 to 40 alkylene oxide units as demulsifiers for splitting crude oil emulsions.

Abstract: Solid organic acids may be introduced into hydrocarbon solvents to form dispersions; the dispersions in turn may be introduced into crude oil. A wash water may be added to the crude oil to create an emulsion. The organic acids may transfer metals and/or amines from a hydrocarbon phase into an aqueous phase in an electrostatic desalter which resolves the emulsion into the two phases. Suitable solid organic acids include, but are not necessarily limited to, C2-C4 alpha hydroxyacids, such as, but not necessarily limited to, glycolic acid, malic acid, maleic acid, malonic acid, succinic acid and even sulfamic acid, chloroacetic acid, thiomalic acid, including esters of, polymers of, amine salts of, alkali metal salts of, and/or ammonium salts of all of these acids.

Abstract: Disclosed is the use of alkoxylated dendrimers for breaking oil/water emulsions. The alkoxylated dendrimers have a molecular weight of from 2400 to 100 000 g/mol and have been alkoxylated with C2-C4-alkylene oxide groups or a mixture of such alkylene oxide groups such that the alkoxylated dendrimer has a degree of alkoxylation of from 1 to 100 alkylene oxide units per free OH group. The alkoxylated dendrimers are added to the oil/water emulsions in amounts of from 0.0001 to 5% by weight, based on the oil content of the emulsion to be demulsified.

Abstract: A composition comprising an oxyalkylated phenol-aldehyde resin and an acrylic acid component wherein the ratio by weight of oxyalkylated phenol-aldehyde resin to an acrylic acid component is in the range of from about 0.2:1 to about 4:1 is disclosed. The thus-obtained composition is employed in a process for demulsifying an oil and water emulsion which comprises adding the composition to the oil and water emulsion to thereby form a mixture and permitting a phase separation to occur, by known methods, e.g. settling, to thereby produce a hydrocarbon phase and a water phase. In an alternative embodiment, a process for emulsifying an oil and water emulsion which comprises adding an oxyalkylated phenol-aldehyde resin and an acrylic acid component to the oil and water emulsion to thereby form a mixture and permitting a phase separation to occur to thereby produce a hydrocarbon phase and a water phase is disclosed.