Abstract: Methods for the in-situ production of one or more chemical products in a subterranean well include the steps of admitting natural gas into the well from the surrounding subterranean formation, directing the natural gas into a downhole reactor in the well, reacting the natural gas within the downhole reactor to produce an intermediate product stream that includes the one or more chemical products, and withdrawing the intermediate product stream and the one or more chemical products from the downhole reactor. The methods can be earned out in a downhole reactor (22) that includes a reaction chamber (26) inside tubing (20) and an inlet valve (24) adapted to control the introduction of natural gas into the reaction chamber (26).

Abstract: A suppressant formulation for controlling the exothermicity of biomass waste includes at least one free-radical scavenger and at least one solvent selected. The solvent can be an organic solvent, water, or combinations thereof. In another aspect, the disclosure relates to a suppressant formulation that includes a preformulated suppressant mixture and at least one organic carbonate solvent characterized by a high flash point. The preformulated suppressant mixture includes at least one free-radical scavenger, at least one metal deactivator, and a solvent selected from the group consisting of organic solvents, water, and combinations thereof. In yet another aspect, the disclosure relates to a method for controlling the exothermicity of biomass waste by applying the suppressant formulation to a final biomass waste product through internal (such as blending) and external (such as spray-coating) processes.

Abstract: Shelf-stabilized H2S scavengers and methods for preparing such shelf-stabilized H2S scavengers. In one aspect, a stabilized hydrogen sulfide scavenger configured for storage at an elevated temperature includes a base scavenger, free formaldehyde, and a stabilizing alcohol. In another aspect, a method of preparing the stabilized hydrogen sulfide scavenger includes the steps of providing a quantity of base scavenger; providing a quantity of free formaldehyde; and adding a quantity of stabilizing alcohol, wherein the quantity of stabilizing alcohol is determined as a function of the provided quantity of free formaldehyde. In yet another aspect, the stabilized scavenger includes about 25 wt. % base scavenger, wherein the base scavenger is an amine-aldehyde condensate; about 15 wt. % free formaldehyde; and between about 10 wt. % and about 25 wt. % stabilizing alcohol.

Abstract: Acrolein is a useful additive for treating hydrocarbon fluids, such as crude oil, for multiple purposes including, but not necessarily limited to, reducing or preventing microbial activity, scavenging hydrogen sulfide (H2S), and/or at least partially dissolving iron sulfide (FexSy). Acrolein can be stabilized against decomposition by mixing or combining it with at least one alkyl carbonate, which can also raise the flash point of the stabilized acrolein composition.

Abstract: A scale inhibitor squeeze treatment is enhanced by injecting a pre-flush solution into a wellbore, where the pre-flush solution includes at least one organic carbonate solvent, such as a dialkyl carbonate and/or a cyclic carbonate. The use of an organic carbonate solvent can help prevent the pre-flush solution emulsion formation, help avoid water-blocking, and enhance scale inhibitor adsorption. The use of an organic carbonate solvent also permits the pre-flush solution to be free of water, in one non-limiting embodiment.

Abstract: Non-acidic sulfur compounds (e.g., thiols) can be selectively extracted from a hydrocarbon stream containing them (e.g., crude oil) by contacting the hydrocarbon stream with a carbonate solvent that contains at least one organic carbonate (e.g., propylene carbonate) in an amount effective to selectively absorb and extract the non-acidic sulfur compounds therefrom. The carbonate solvent may optionally also comprise an additional solvent (e.g., caprolactam), a soluble metal salt (e.g., a metal salt where the metal is iron), and/or a mercaptan scavenger that is a heterocyclic amine (e.g., oxazolidine).

Abstract: It is a continuing goal to reduce the amount of sludge produced in a biorefinery while also improving oil quality and water quality. In one aspect, an exemplary method of minimizing sludge from biorefineries includes the steps of feeding a source feedstock into a degumming centrifuge, where the source feedstock is separated into wet oil and a primary sludge stream, and conveying a portion of the primary sludge stream to a three-phase centrifuge. At the three-phase centrifuge, the portion of the primary sludge stream is separated into recovered centrifuge oil, which is retrieved; centrifuged water, which is conveyed to a wastewater treatment plant; and centrifuged sludge. The remainder of the primary sludge stream is conveyed to a gravity separator, where the remainder of the primary sludge stream is separated into recovered oil and residual sludge. The residual oil is retrieved from the gravity separator.

Abstract: A method for direct synthesis of cyclic carbonates is achieved by reacting at least one epoxide with carbon dioxide in the presence of a choline catalyst, such as choline chloride, under mild conditions such as a temperature between about 25° C. to 150° C. and a pressure of from about atmospheric to 75 psi (0.52 MPa), in a cyclic carbonate solvent. The choline catalyst may be the only catalyst used, and a co-catalyst or hydrogen bond donor is not necessary. The concentration of choline catalyst in the solvent ranges from about 0.5 mol % to about 10 mol %, based on the epoxide.

Abstract: It has been discovered that solid contaminants in a mixture of a hydrocarbon phase and an aqueous phase may be retained in the hydrocarbon phase by introducing to the mixture an effective amount of an oil-wetting additive to retain at least a portion of the solid contaminants in the hydrocarbon phase as contrasted with an aqueous phase. The oil-wetting additive can be a surface-active additive including, but is not necessarily limited to, drilling fluid additives, surfactants, antifoulants, nanoparticles and combinations thereof.

Abstract: Catalyst fines can be removed from heavy oils, such as marine fuel oils, by introducing an additive in an effective amount to at least partially remove the catalyst fines, where the additive is an oxyalkylated acid-catalyzed alkylphenol formaldehyde resin and/or a Mannich condensate base resin copolymer.

Abstract: A scale inhibitor squeeze treatment is enhanced by injecting a pre-flush solution into a wellbore, where the pre-flush solution includes at least one organic carbonate solvent, such as a dialkyl carbonate and/or a cyclic carbonate. The use of an organic carbonate solvent can help prevent the pre-flush solution emulsion formation, help avoid water-blocking, and enhance scale inhibitor adsorption. The use of an organic carbonate solvent also permits the pre-flush solution to be free of water, in one non-limiting embodiment.

Abstract: It has been discovered that solid contaminants in a mixture of a hydrocarbon phase and an aqueous phase may be retained in the hydrocarbon phase by introducing to the mixture an effective amount of an oil-wetting additive to retain at least a portion of the solid contaminants in the hydrocarbon phase as contrasted with an aqueous phase. The oil-wetting additive can be a surface-active additive including, but is not necessarily limited to, drilling fluid additives, surfactants, antifoulants, nanoparticles and combinations thereof.

Abstract: Dispersants including at least one organic carbonate can keep deposits dispersed within hydrocarbons, where the solids are asphaltenes and derivatives from triazine-based H2S scavengers.

Abstract: Catalyst fines can be removed from heavy oils, such as marine fuel oils, by introducing an additive in an effective amount to at least partially remove the catalyst fines, where the additive is an oxyalkylated acid-catalyzed alkylphenol formaldehyde resin and/or a Mannich condensate base resin copolymer.

Abstract: A combination of at least one basic compound, such as potassium hydroxide, together with at least one aldehyde donor can synergistically scavenge mercaptans from organic fluids, such as hydrocarbons, where “synergistically effective” is defined as the amount of mercaptans scavenged is greater as compared with a combination where either the basic compound or the reaction product is absent, used in the same total amount.

Abstract: A method for direct synthesis of cyclic carbonates is achieved by reacting at least one epoxide with carbon dioxide in the presence of a choline catalyst, such as choline chloride, under mild conditions such as a temperature between about 25° C. to 150° C. and a pressure of from about atmospheric to 75 psi (0.52 MPa), in a cyclic carbonate solvent. The choline catalyst may be the only catalyst used, and a co-catalyst or hydrogen bond donor is not necessary. The concentration of choline catalyst in the solvent ranges from about 0.5 mol % to about 10 mol %, based on the epoxide.

Abstract: It has been discovered that contaminants such as metals and/or amines can be transferred from a hydrocarbon phase to a water phase in an emulsion breaking process by using a composition that contains water-soluble C5-C12 polyhydroxy carboxylic acids, ammonium salts thereof, alkali metal salts thereof, and mixtures of all of these. The composition may also optionally include a mineral acid to reduce the pH of the desalter wash water. The method permits transfer of metals and/or amines into the aqueous phase with little or no hydrocarbon phase undercarry into the aqueous phase. Resolving the emulsion into the hydrocarbon phase and the aqueous phase occurs in a refinery desalting process using electrostatic coalescence. The composition is particularly useful in treating crude oil emulsions, and in removing calcium and other metals therefrom. The polyhydroxy carboxylic acid additionally inhibits metal corrosion of metal pipe or other equipment used in a crude unit.

Abstract: A method for selective extraction of lithium from geothermal brines using host-guest complexes of host molecules such as calixarene, dendrimeric polymers, hyper-branched polymers, and/or acid-catalyzed resins complexed with synergists such as organic acids, condensation polymers, olefin/maleic anhydride copolymers, and/or chelants.

Abstract: A regeneration solvent comprised of one or more ethylene amines may contact an adsorbent bed that has been used to remove sulfur compounds from a hydrocarbon stream to extract adsorbed sulfur compounds from the adsorbent material in the bed to regenerate it. The one or more ethyleneamines may have structure (I), (II), or (III): where R1, R2, R5 and R6 are, to the extent chemically possible, independently H, C1-C4 linear or branched alkyl, amido (RRNC?O), or hydroxyalkyl, where each R in the amido group is independently H or C1 alkyl, where R3 and R4 are alkylene of from 1 to 4 carbon atoms, where x ranges from 0 to 3, y ranges from 1 to 6. The regenerated adsorbent bed may be reused, either alone or in combination with a liquid-liquid extraction column, to remove sulfur compounds from a hydrocarbon stream.

Abstract: A combination of at least one basic compound, such as potassium hydroxide, together with at least one aldehyde donor can synergistically scavenge mercaptans from organic fluids, such as hydrocarbons, where “synergistically effective” is defined as the amount of mercaptans scavenged is greater as compared with a combination where either the basic compound or the reaction product is absent, used in the same total amount.