# US 12,180,420 B2 · Compositions and methods and uses relating thereto

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- Number: US 12,180,420 B2
- Document ID: US12180420B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/085,957
- Filed: 2022-12-21
- Published: 2023-05-04
- Granted: 2024-12-31
- Earliest claimed: 2017-07-06
- Assignees: Innospec Oil Field Chemicals LLC
- Applicants: Innospec Oil Field Chemicals LLC
- Inventors: Ian Malcolm McRobbie; Joseph Sustayta; Luis Angel Ziga, Jr.
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12180420B2

## CPC

- C09K 8/584: characterised by the use of specific surfactants
- C09K 8/524: organic depositions, e.g. paraffins or asphaltenes
- C11D 1/28: Sulfonation products derived from fatty acids or their derivatives, e.g. esters, amides
- C09K 2208/20: Hydrogen sulfide elimination
- C09K 2208/22: Hydrates inhibition by using well treatment fluids containing inhibitors of hydrate formers
- C09K 2208/32: Anticorrosion additives
- C09K: MATERIALS FOR MISCELLANEOUS APPLICATIONS, NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE
- C11D: DETERGENT COMPOSITIONS; USE OF SINGLE SUBSTANCES AS DETERGENTS; SOAP OR SOAP-MAKING; RESIN SOAPS; RECOVERY OF GLYCEROL

## Abstract

A method of reducing the viscosity of a crude oil, the method including adding to the crude oil (i) a surfactant compound including at least two hydrophobic groups wherein the resultant mixture has a water content of less than 10 vol %.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of reducing the viscosity of a crude oil having a basic sediment and water (BS&w) content of less than 10% by volume, the method comprising:
adding to the crude oil (i) a surfactant compound including at least two hydrophobic groups of formula (I);
wherein each R is an optionally substituted hydrocarbyl group baying from 2 to 16 carbon atoms and M+ is a hydrogen ion, an ammonium ion or a metal ion;
and (ii) an oxyalkylated phenolic resin; wherein
the resultant mixture has a water content of less than 10 vol %.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the crude oil is a heavy crude oil.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the crude oil has an API gravity of less than 20 and a BS&W of less than 2%.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein M+ is sodium and each R is 2-ethylhexyl.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising adding one or more further components selected from the group consisting of:
(iii) polyoxyalkylene ethers;
(iv) aryl sulfonic acid compounds;
(v) alkoxylated amines;
(vi) polyol esters;
(vii) polysulfones; and
(viii) conductivity improvers.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method according to claim 5 wherein component (ii) and component (iii) are added.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

A method according to claim 1, wherein the viscosity of the additised crude oil is less than 90% of the viscosity of the unadditised crude oil.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

A method according to claim 1, wherein one or more further additional components selected from the group consist of biocides, scale inhibitors, corrosion inhibitors, oxygen scavengers, hydrogen sulfide scavengers are added to the crude oil.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein each R is an unsubstituted alkyl group having from 2 to 16 carbon atoms.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein M+ is an ammonium ion or a metal ion.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein each R is an unsubstituted alkyl, alkenyl, aralkyl, alkaryl or aryl group.