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US 12,180,428 B2Granted
Methods of using ionic liquids as paraffin inhibitors, pour point depressants and cold flow improvers
AssigneeBaker Hughes Holdings LLC
InventorJerry Weers
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The disclosure relates to the use of ionic liquids as paraffin inhibitors, pour point depressant or cold flow improvers in the production, treatment and refining of hydrocarbon fluids.
Claims18
A method of modifying the pour point or cold flow of crude oil or gas, or reducing the deposition of paraffin from crude oil or gas, during production of the crude oil or gas from a subterranean reservoir, the method comprising:
- (a) adding to the produced crude oil or gas in the subterranean reservoir an ionic liquid of the formula:
- A+X− (I)
- wherein:
- A is or contains nitrogen;
- and
- X is an anion selected from the group consisting of anionic copolymers of alpha olefins and maleic anhydride, esters, amides, imides or derivatives thereof;
- anionic acrylamido-methyl propane sulfonate/acrylic acid copolymers;
- anionic homopolymers, copolymers and terpolymers of one or more acrylates, methacrylates and acrylamides, optionally copolymerized with one or more ethylenically unsaturated monomers;
- anionic phosphated maleic copolymers;
- an anionic homo or copolymer of an oxirane or methyloxirane;
- anionic copolymers of ethylene and vinyl acetate;
- and mixtures thereof or a methyl oxirane;
- and
- (b) retarding, delaying, minimizing, reducing, inhibiting or preventing phase separation of paraffin wax formed in the crude oil or gas by dispersing the paraffin wax in the crude oil or gas containing the ionic liquid in the subterranean reservoir;
- or enhancing fluidity of the crude oil or gas while flowing the crude oil or gas containing the ionic liquid from the subterranean reservoir through a conduit;
- or depressing the pour point of the crude oil or gas in the subterranean reservoir when the crude oil or gas contains paraffin wax and further contains the ionic liquid.
13 more elements
A method of modifying the pour point or cold flow of crude oil or reducing the deposition of paraffin from the crude oil during production of the crude oil from an underground reservoir, the method comprising:
- (a) adding to the crude oil in the underground reservoir an ionic liquid of the formula:
- R1R2R3A+R8A+R5R6R7X− (III)
- wherein:
- each A in formula (III) is or contains nitrogen;
- and
- X is an anion selected from the group consisting of halides;
- hydroxyl;
- carbonates;
- alkyl carbonates;
- bicarbonates;
- carboxylates;
- hydroxycarboxylates;
- sulfonates;
- sulfates;
- bisulfites;
- thiocyanates;
- dithiocarbonates;
- trithiocarbonates;
- carbamates;
- dithiocarbamates;
- xanthates;
- sulfides;
- polysulfides;
- alkoxides;
- anionic urea;
- anionic alkyl substituted phosphines;
- anionic amino fatty acids;
- anionic alkoxylated fatty acids;
- anionic acrylamido-methyl propane sulfonate/acrylic acid copolymers;
- anionic phosphated maleic copolymers;
- anionic metal complexes;
- sulfur or silicon containing anions;
- anionic phosphate esters;
- anionic thiophosphate esters;
- anionic phosphonate esters;
- anionic thiophosphonate esters;
- anionic thiols;
- anionic natural products;
- anionic phenols;
- anionic phenol resins;
- anionic copolymers of alpha olefins and maleic anhydride, esters, amides, imides or derivatives thereof;
- anionic alkyl substituted phosphines;
- and anionic homopolymers, copolymers and terpolymers of one or more acrylates, methacrylates acrylamides and acids, optionally copolymerized with one or more ethylenically unsaturated monomers;
- anionic homo and copolymers of oxirane and/or methyloxirane;
- anionic copolymers of olefins and vinyl acetate;
- and mixtures thereof;
- and further wherein R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R6 and R7 are independently selected from the group consisting of hydrogen;
- benzyl;
- alkylbenzyl, or oxyalkyl;
- a straight or branched alkyl group, an alkylbenzyl group, an arylalkyl group, a straight or branched chain alkenyl group, a hydroxyalkyl group or a hydroxyalkylbenzyl group;
- and a polyoxyalkylene group;
- and R8 is a straight or branched alkylene group, an alkylene oxyalkylene, or an alkylene polyoxyalkylene or a zwitterion;
- and further wherein R groups may be joined to form a heterocyclic nitrogen, sulfur or phosphorus containing ring;
- and
- (b) retarding, delaying, minimizing, reducing, inhibiting or preventing phase separation of paraffin wax formed in the crude oil by dispersing the paraffin wax in the crude oil containing the ionic liquid in the subterranean reservoir;
- or enhancing fluidity of the crude oil while flowing the crude oil containing the ionic liquid from the subterranean reservoir through a conduit;
- or depressing the pour point of the crude oil in the subterranean reservoir when the crude oil contains paraffin wax and further contains the ionic liquid.
54 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.