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US 2012/0048809 A1Published application
Chemicals for Oil Spill Cleanup
OwnerOlen L. Riggs, JR., Debra A. Riggsinventors
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Abstract
The clean-up of crude oil is accomplished using an oil solubilizing agent from a class of onium halides to solubilize the oil in water. The oil solubilizing agent includes a quaternary phosphonium halide, a quaternary ammonium halide, or a ternary sulfonium halide. The onium halide also includes a hydrophobic hydrocarbon chain having from 10 to 24 carbon atoms, and can include both aromatic and aliphatic components.
Claims26
A method for solubilizing crude oil in water, the method comprising the following steps:
- adding an oil solubilizing composition to the crude oil, the oil solubilizing composition comprising a quaternary phosphonium halide having the general formula:
- wherein R1 is an alkyl of 10 to about 24 carbon atoms;
- R2 and R4 are independently methyl, ethyl or propyl groups;
- R3 is methyl, ethyl or benzyl, and X is chloride, bromide, iodide or mixtures thereof;
- and
- providing water, if not already present, for dissolution of the crude oil.
3 more elements
A method for dissolving crude oil in water, the method comprising the following steps:
- adding an oil solubilizing composition comprising an onium halide to the crude oil, the onium halide selected from the group consisting of quaternary phosphonium halide, quaternary ammonium halide, and ternary sulfonium halide;
- wherein the onium halide also includes a hydrophobic hydrocarbon chain having from 10 to 24 carbon atoms;
- and
- providing water for dissolution of the crude oil, if not already present.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.