Abstract: Petroleum emulsion breakers based on alkoxylated polyethyleneimines are obtained by reacting polyethyleneimine with a molecular weight of 2,500-35,000 with 5-40 moles each of propylene oxide and ethylene oxide per ethyleneimine unit in the polyethyleneimine and are used for the demulsification of petroleum emulsions at from 10.degree. C. to 130.degree. C.

Abstract: Oil demulsifiers are based on an alkoxylate having a polydispersity of at least 1.7, and the alkoxylates are prepared using a metal alcoholate as a catalyst.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of trialkanolamine polyethers obtained by condensation of one or more trialkanolamines in the presence of phosphorous acid and/or hypophosphorous acid as demulsifiers for oil-in-water emulsions.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods of demulsifying employing condensates as demulsifiers for oil-in-water emulsions and prepared fromA) a precondensate from one or more trialkanolamines of the general formula I ##STR1## in which R.sup.1 to R.sup.3 denote the same or different 1,2-alkylene groups of from 2 to 4 carbon atoms, andB) from 0.1 to 30% w/w, based on said precondensate, of one or more of the following compounds II:a) urea or a urea derivative of the general formula IIa ##STR2## b) a urea derivative of the general formula IIb ##STR3## c) a urethane of the general formula IIc ##STR4## and/or d) a urethane of the general formula IId ##STR5## in which R.sup.1 is hydrogen, C.sub.1 -C.sub.20 -alkyl or C.sub.2 -C.sub.20 -alkenyl,R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 are the same or different and denote hydrogen or C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkyl,R.sup.4 is C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 -alkyl andR.sup.5 is C.sub.1 -C.sub.12 -alkylene.