Abstract: The present invention provides an internal olefin sulfonate composition, comprising water and an internal olefin sulfonate mixture having an average carbon number of at least 20, wherein the internal olefin sulfonate mixture comprises hydroxy sulfonates and alkene sulfonates in a weight ratio of hydroxy sulfonates to alkene sulfonates of at least 3.25. The invention further provides a method of treating a crude oil containing formation.

Abstract: A process for preparing a hydrocarbon recovery composition which comprises an anionic surfactant, an alkaline agent and a polymer and a process for treating a hydrocarbon containing formation.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of treating a hydrocarbon containing formation, comprising the following steps: a) preparing an internal olefin sulfonate, comprising sulfonating an internal olefin into sulfonated internal olefin followed by contacting sulfonated internal olefin with a base containing solution resulting in the internal olefin sulfonate, wherein sulfonated internal olefin is contacted with the base containing solution in the presence of a non-ionic surfactant, and/or after step a) but before step b), the internal olefin sulfonate and said non-ionic surfactant are combined; b) transporting an aqueous solution comprising the internal olefin sulfonate and the non-ionic surfactant to the location of the hydrocarbon containing formation; c) providing the internal olefin sulfonate and the non-ionic surfactant to at least a portion of the hydrocarbon containing formation; and d) allowing the internal olefin sulfonate and the non-ionic surfactant to interact with the hydrocarbons in the hydrocarbon c

Abstract: The invention relates to a hydrocarbon recovery composition comprising an anionic surfactant, wherein said composition is in the solid state, and to a shaped article comprising said composition. Preferably, said composition is in the form of a powder. Further, the invention relates to a process for treating a hydrocarbon containing formation comprising the steps of a) transporting said composition or shaped article to the location of the hydrocarbon containing formation; b) dissolving said composition or shaped article in water thereby forming an aqueous fluid containing the hydrocarbon recovery composition; c) providing the aqueous fluid containing the hydrocarbon recovery composition to at least a portion of the hydrocarbon containing formation; and d) allowing the hydrocarbon recovery composition to interact with the hydrocarbons in the hydrocarbon containing formation.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for preparing an internal olefin sulfonate, comprising sulfonating an internal olefin into sulfonated internal olefin followed by contacting sulfonated internal olefin with a base containing solution, wherein the molar ratio of internal olefin to solvent for the base is higher than 0.06. Further, the invention relates to an internal olefin sulfonate obtainable by said process.

Abstract: A method is provided for treating a hydrocarbon containing formation. The method comprises providing a hydrocarbon recovery composition comprising a mixture of branched internal olefin sulfonate molecules, and contacting hydrocarbons in the hydrocarbon containing formation with the hydrocarbon recovery composition. The mixture of branched internal olefin sulfonate molecules has an average number of carbon atoms of between 19 and 23, and an average number of branches of at least 0.6 per molecule. A hydrocarbon composition produced from a hydrocarbon containing formation, and a hydrocarbon recovery composition comprising a mixture of branched internal olefin sulfonate molecules are also provided.

Abstract: The present invention provides an internal olefin sulfonate composition, comprising water and an internal olefin sulfonate mixture having an average carbon number of at least 20, wherein the internal olefin sulfonate mixture comprises hydroxy sulfonates and alkene sulfonates in a weight ratio of hydroxy sulfonates to alkene sulfonates of at least 3.25. The invention further provides a method of treating a crude oil containing formation.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for preparing an internal olefin sulfonate, comprising sulfonating an internal olefin, having an average carbon number that is equal to or greater than 20, in a sulfonation reactor into sulfonated internal olefin followed by contacting sulfonated internal olefin with a base containing solution, wherein the sulfonation reactor is cooled with a cooling means having a temperature which is greater than 35° C. Further, the invention relates to an internal olefin sulfonate obtainable by said process, and to use of internal olefin sulfonates obtainable or obtained by said process as a surfactant, suitably as a surfactant in chemical Enhanced Oil Recovery.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for preparing alkoxylated alcohols, wherein an alkoxylated alcohol which contains more than 200 parts per million by weight of a Group IA or Group IIA metal ion is contacted with a sulfonic acid. The resulting alkoxylated alcohol may then be sulfated by contacting it with a sulfating agent.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for preparing an internal olefin sulfonate, comprising sulfonating an internal olefin, having an average carbon number that is equal to or greater than 20, in a sulfonation reactor into sulfonated internal olefin followed by contacting sulfonated internal olefin with a base containing solution, wherein the sulfonation reactor is cooled with a cooling means having a temperature which is greater than 35° C. Further, the invention relates to an internal olefin sulfonate obtainable by said process, and to use of internal olefin sulfonates obtainable or obtained by said process as a surfactant, suitably as a surfactant in chemical Enhanced Oil Recovery.

Abstract: The invention relates to a hydrocarbon recovery composition comprising an anionic surfactant, wherein said composition is in the solid state, and to a shaped article comprising said composition. Preferably, said composition is in the form of a powder. Further, the invention relates to a process for treating a hydrocarbon containing formation comprising the steps of a) transporting said composition or shaped article to the location of the hydrocarbon containing formation; b) dissolving said composition or shaped article in water thereby forming an aqueous fluid containing the hydrocarbon recovery composition; c) providing the aqueous fluid containing the hydrocarbon recovery composition to at least a portion of the hydrocarbon containing formation; and d) allowing the hydrocarbon recovery composition to interact with the hydrocarbons in the hydrocarbon containing formation.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for preparing an internal olefin sulfonate, comprising sulfonating an internal olefin into sulfonated internal olefin followed by contacting sulfonated internal olefin with a base containing solution, wherein the molar ratio of internal olefin to solvent for the base is higher than 0.06. Further, the invention relates to an internal olefin sulfonate obtainable by said process.

Abstract: A method of treating a formation containing crude oil is described. The method includes (a) providing a hydrocarbon recovery composition to at least a portion of a formation containing crude oil wherein the composition comprises a high molecular weight internal olefin sulfonate and a viscosity reducing compound; and (b) allowing the composition to interact with hydrocarbons in the crude oil containing formation.

Abstract: A method is provided for treating a hydrocarbon containing formation. The method comprises providing a hydrocarbon recovery composition comprising a mixture of branched internal olefin sulfonate molecules, and contacting hydrocarbons in the hydrocarbon containing formation with the hydrocarbon recovery composition. The mixture of branched internal olefin sulfonate molecules has an average number of carbon atoms of between 19 and 23, and an average number of branches of at least 0.6 per molecule. A hydrocarbon composition produced from a hydrocarbon containing formation, and a hydrocarbon recovery composition comprising a mixture of branched internal olefin sulfonate molecules are also provided.

Abstract: A process for reactive distillation wherein a carboxylic acid is reacted in a reaction section of a reactive distillation column with an alcohol under esterifying conditions in the presence of a catalyst to form an ester, wherein a first supply stream comprising the carboxylic acid, a second supply stream comprising the alcohol and a third supply stream comprising an inert entrainer are supplied to the reactive distillation column, wherein the first supply stream is supplied to the column at a first entry level located just above or at the top of the reaction section, the second supply stream is supplied to the column at a second entry level located in or just below the reaction section and below the first entry level, and the third supply stream is supplied to the column at a third entry level located in or below the reaction section and not above the second entry level and wherein a bottom stream comprising the ester formed and unreacted carboxylic acid is obtained and a top stream comprising unreacted alco

Abstract: A process for preparing an alkyl aryl sulphonic acid comprising the steps of: (a) contacting an alkyl aromatic hydrocarbon with a gaseous sulphonating agent to produce (i) a first liquid reaction product comprising an alkyl aryl sulphonic acid and (ii) a gaseous effluent stream; (b) separating the first liquid reaction product from the gaseous effluent stream; (c) purifying the gaseous effluent stream to provide a cleaned gaseous stream and a second liquid reaction product; (d) recycling the second liquid reaction product to the first liquid reaction product produced after separation step (b) to produce a third liquid reaction product comprising alkyl aryl sulphonic acid; wherein the alkyl aromatic hydrocarbon is obtained by contacting an aromatic hydrocarbon with an olefin under alkylating conditions, and wherein said olefin is obtained by dehydrogenation of a Fischer-Tropsch derived paraffinic feedstock.

Abstract: Systems and methods to produced branched aliphatic alcohols are described. Systems may include a dehydrogenation-isomerization unit, an olefin dimerization unit, an olefin isomerization unit, a hydroformylation unit, a dehydrogenation unit, a hydrogenation unit and/or combinations thereof. Methods for producing branched aliphatic alcohols may include isomerization of olefins in a process stream. The isomerized olefins may be hydroformylated to produce aliphatic alcohols. After hydroformylation of the aliphatic alcohols, unreacted components from the hydroformylation process may be separated from the aliphatic alcohols products. The unreacted components from the hydroformylation process may be recycled back into the main process stream or sent to other processing units. Addition of multiple streams to the units may be performed to control reaction conditions in the units.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of detergents involving separating the hydrocarbonaceous product stream from a Fischer-Tropsch process producing normally liquid and normally solid hydrocarbons into a light fraction and one or more heavy fractions, hydrogenating at least part of the light fraction to convert unsaturated hydrocarbons and/or oxygenates into saturated hydrocarbons, distilling product thus obtained into at least one fraction comprising detergent hydrocarbons, dehydrogenating at least part of the detergent hydrocarbons to obtain a detergent hydrocarbon stream having mono-olefins and converting the mono-olefins into detergents. The invention further concerns a process for the preparation of detergents in which process a hydrogenated product, which is obtained according to the above process, is dehydrogenated to obtain a detergent hydrocarbon stream of mono-olefins, followed by conversion of the mono-olefins into detergents.

Abstract: A process for reactive distillation wherein a carboxylic acid is reacted in a reaction section of a reactive distillation column with an alcohol under esterifying conditions in the presence of a catalyst to form an ester, wherein a first supply stream comprising the carboxylic acid, a second supply stream comprising the alcohol and a third supply stream comprising an inert entrainer are supplied to the reactive distillation column, wherein the first supply stream is supplied to the column at a first entry level located just above or at the top of the reaction section, the second supply stream is supplied to the column at a second entry level located in or just below the reaction section and below the first entry level, and the third supply stream is supplied to the column at a third entry level located in or below the reaction section and not above the second entry level and wherein a bottom stream comprising the ester formed and unreacted carboxylic acid is obtained and a top stream comprising unreacted alco

Abstract: Systems and methods to produced branched aliphatic alcohols are described. Systems may include a dehydrogenation-isomerization unit, an olefin dimerization unit, an olefin isomerization unit, a hydroformylation unit, a dehydrogenation unit, a hydrogenation unit and/or combinations thereof. Methods for producing branched aliphatic alcohols may include isomerization of olefins in a process stream. The isomerized olefins may be hydroformylated to produce aliphatic alcohols. After hydroformylation of the aliphatic alcohols, unreacted components from the hydroformylation process may be separated from the aliphatic alcohols products. The unreacted components from the hydroformylation process may be recycled back into the main process stream or sent to other processing units. Addition of multiple streams to the units may be performed to control reaction conditions in the units.