Abstract: The inventive technology, in at least one embodiment, may be described as a method of destabilizing an aqueous hydrocarbon emulsion comprising the steps of: effecting contact between a sorbent and said aqueous hydrocarbon emulsion; effecting relative motion between said sorbent and said aqueous hydrocarbon emulsion; and destabilizing (perhaps in continuous fashion) the aqueous hydrocarbon emulsion. Applications include but are not limited to oil spill clean up, manufacturing of emulsions, oil refinery and production operations (anywhere along the production chain).

Abstract: At least one embodiment of the inventive technology may be described as a method for analyzing a hydrocarbon that comprises volatiles, said method comprising the steps of: segregating said volatiles from said hydrocarbon without oxidizing said hydrocarbon; generating a hydrocarbon residue and segregated hydrocarbon volatiles; and analyzing at least one of said hydrocarbon residue and said segregated hydrocarbon volatiles. The advantageous avoidance of oxidation may be achieved by placing the hydrocarbon under a vacuum, which may also enable the avoidance of cracking of the hydrocarbon while still achieving segregation of volatiles as desired. One other of the several embodiments disclosed and claimed herein may focus more on vacuum transfer and vacuum distillation of hydrocarbon volatiles. These and other methods disclosed herein may be used to achieve improved hydrocarbon analysis results.

Abstract: At least one embodiment of the inventive technology may involve the intentional changing of the stability of an emulsion from a first stability to a more desired, second stability upon the addition of a more aromatic asphaltene subfraction (perhaps even a most aromatic asphaltene subfraction), or a less aromatic asphaltene subfraction (perhaps even a least aromatic asphaltene subfraction) to a emulsion hydrocarbon of an oil emulsion, thereby increasing emulsion stability or decreasing emulsion stability, respectively. Precipitation and redissolution or sorbent-based techniques may be used to isolate a selected an asphaltene subfraction before its addition to an emulsion hydrocarbon when that hydrocarbon is part of an emulsion or an ingredient of a yet-to-be-formed emulsion.

Abstract: At least one embodiment of the inventive technology may involve the intentional changing of the stability of an emulsion from a first stability to a more desired, second stability upon the addition of a more aromatic asphaltene subfraction (perhaps even a most aromatic asphaltene subfraction), or a less aromatic asphaltene subfraction (perhaps even a least aromatic asphaltene subfraction) to a emulsion hydrocarbon of an oil emulsion, thereby increasing emulsion stability or decreasing emulsion stability, respectively. Precipitation and redissolution or sorbent-based techniques may be used to isolate a selected an asphaltene subfraction before its addition to an emulsion hydrocarbon when that hydrocarbon is part of an emulsion or an ingredient of a yet-to-be-formed emulsion.

Abstract: At least one embodiment of the inventive technology may be described as a method for analyzing a hydrocarbon that comprises volatiles, said method comprising the steps of: segregating said volatiles from said hydrocarbon without oxidizing said hydrocarbon; generating a hydrocarbon residue and segregated hydrocarbon volatiles; and analyzing at least one of said hydrocarbon residue and said segregated hydrocarbon volatiles. The advantageous avoidance of oxidation may be achieved by placing the hydrocarbon under a vacuum, which may also enable the avoidance of cracking of the hydrocarbon while still achieving segregation of volatiles as desired. One other of the several embodiments disclosed and claimed herein may focus more on vacuum transfer and vacuum distillation of hydrocarbon volatiles. These and other methods disclosed herein may be used to achieve improved hydrocarbon analysis results.

Abstract: The inventive technology, in at least one embodiment, may be described as a method of destabilizing an aqueous hydrocarbon emulsion comprising the steps of: effecting contact between a sorbent and said aqueous hydrocarbon emulsion; effecting relative motion between said sorbent and said aqueous hydrocarbon emulsion; and destabilizing (perhaps in continuous fashion) the aqueous hydrocarbon emulsion. Applications include but are not limited to oil spill clean up, manufacturing of emulsions, oil refinery and production operations (anywhere along the production chain).

Abstract: At least one embodiment of the inventive technology may involve the intentional changing of the stability of an emulsion from a first stability to a more desired, second stability upon the addition of a more aromatic asphaltene subfraction (perhaps even a most aromatic asphaltene subfraction), or a less aromatic asphaltene subfraction (perhaps even a least aromatic asphaltene subfraction) to a emulsion hydrocarbon of an oil emulsion, thereby increasing emulsion stability or decreasing emulsion stability, respectively. Precipitation and redissolution or sorbent-based techniques may be used to isolate a selected asphaltene subfraction before its addition to an emulsion hydrocarbon when that hydrocarbon is part of an emulsion or an ingredient of a yet-to-be-formed emulsion.