Abstract: Inhibiting naphthenate salts that can form precipitates or emulsions during crude oil production or processing. An effective amount of a naphthenate inhibitor, such as a hydrotrope, is provided into the production fluids for contact with mixtures of oil and water in the formation, the production equipment, or processing systems. It is believed that the naphthenate inhibitors, such as monophosphate ester or diphosphate ester, exhibit surface-active properties that cause the inhibitors to align and concentrate in a layer at the oil-water interface and thereby prevent interactions between organic acids in the oil phase with cations or cation complexes in the water. It is believed that the physical positioning and geometry of the naphthenate inhibitor blocks the growth of naphthenate salt crystals. However, it is preferred that the naphthenate inhibitors also avoid the formation of oil-in-water and water-in-oil emulsions.

Abstract: Low dosage naphthenate inhibitors, such as a surfactant or hydrotrope, delivered into production fluids for contact with mixtures of oil and water, such as in a hydrocarbon producing formation, production equipment, or processing systems. Inhibitor compounds such as monophosphate esters and diphosphate esters exhibit surface-active properties that cause the inhibitors to self-associate at oil-water interfaces and inhibit interactions between organic acids in the oil with cations or cation complexes in the water. These compounds also inhibit aggregation of organic acid carboxylate salts that form when pH and pressure conditions are amenable to organic acid ionization. Preferred inhibitors do not form emulsions due to the formation of unstable mixed interface structures that result in coalescence of dispersed droplets.

Abstract: Methods of treatment of fluids produced by an oil or gas well following a stimulation operation, allowing separation from the fluids and re-injection of oil and gas hydrocarbons in a production pipeline under pressure, and allowing achievement of suitable quality for the residual fluids compatible with their rejection, for example into the sea, including the following three elements; neutralization of the fluids by mixing with a high pH chemical, until the resulting pH reaches a level compatible with the equipment and pipes; use of optimized emulsion breakers in a phase separator, selected for best results with the fluids produced by the well, to accelerate the separation of oil from the fluids, and to lower the residual oil content in the fluids to levels compatible with environmental regulations; and use of a multi-phase pump to pump the oil and gas hydrocarbons produced and reinject them in a pipeline under pressure.

Abstract: The present invention is a demulsifying and corrosion-inhibiting compound formed from the salt of an amphiphilic amine and an amphiphilic acid. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the demulsifier may be a salt of an alkyl amine and an alkyl aryl sulfonic acid. Even more preferably, the demulsifier may be a salt of a methyl, di-cocoyl amine and an alkyl aryl sulfonic acid. According to another embodiment of the invention, an organic system may be demulsified by mixing the salt of an alkyl amine and an alkyl sulfonic acid with the system to be demulsified.

Abstract: The invention relates to amphiphilic compounds of the general formula (I) with at least two hydrophilic and at least two hydrophobic groups based on di, oligo or polyolethers. The amphiphilic compounds of this invention are highly surface active and are suitable as emulsifiers, demulsifiers, detergents, dispersants and hydrotropes for industrial and domestic purposes, e.g. in the fields of metalworking, ore separation, surface treatment, washing and cleaning, cosmetics, medicine and food processing and preparation.

Abstract: A composition containing at least one organic phospholipid capable of forming bilayers in aqueous solution;at least one amphoteric surfactant; and at least one nonionic surfactant present in an amount by weight equal to or greater than the amount of the phospholipid. The invention also relates to a delivery system for water-insoluble ingredients containing the above components, at least one water-insoluble ingredient, and an aqueous phase, wherein the organic phospholipid, amphoteric surfactant, and nonionic surfactant are present in a combined amount sufficient to allow the water-insoluble ingredient to be incorporated into the system. A method of treating keratinous susbstances is also disclosed.

Abstract: The invention relates to mixtures of long-chain alkyl phosphates of the formula ##STR1## in which R is a mixture of C.sub.12 -C.sub.22, preferably C.sub.14 -C.sub.20, straight-chain alkyl radicals and C.sub.12 -C.sub.22, preferably C.sub.14 -C.sub.20, .beta.-branched alkyl radicals, and X and Y are identical or different and are hydrogen, alkali metal or an equivalent of an alkaline earth metal, ammonium, mono-, di- or tri-alkylammonium or an organic base, or X and/or Y are as defined under R. These esters are suitable as emulsifiers, in particular for oil-in-water emulsions of a cosmetic pharmaceutical nature.

Abstract: A composition containing an organic phospholipid capable of forming bilayers in solution, a nonionic surfactant, and an amphoteric surfactant in a combined amount sufficient to allow lipophilic ingredients to be incorporated into an aqueous solution, and method for making such compositions.