Demulsifying compositions and methods of use

A demulsifying composition for treating a hydrocarbon stream comprising at least one C4-C12 alkyl phenol-formaldehyde resin alkoxylate, an oil phase, and an aqueous phase, wherein said oil and aqueous phases form a colloidal micellar solution, and wherein said demulsifying composition comprises 0.1 wt % to about 90 wt % water based on a total weight of said demulsifying composition.

The demulsifying composition of claim17, wherein said composition further comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of an acid, a non-polar organic solvent, a base, a wetting agent, a dispersant, a corrosion inhibitor, and a water-soluble reverse emulsion breaker.

A method of resolving an emulsion present in a hydrocarbon stream comprising:

• contacting said hydrocarbon stream with a demulsifying composition, said demulsifying composition comprising at least two C4-C12 alkyl phenol-formaldehyde resin alkoxylates, wherein each of the two C4-C12 alkyl phenol-formaldehyde resin alkoxylates independently has a polymerization number of 2-20 and a degree of alkoxylation greater than about 30% and less than about 90% relative to the weight of the resin, and wherein the two alkyl phenol-formaldehyde resin alkoxylates have different amounts of alkoxylation, and wherein the two alkyl phenol-formaldehyde resin alkoxylates comprise a first alkyl phenol-formaldehyde resin alkoxylate having a percent A by weight of alkoxylation, and a second alkyl phenol-formaldehyde resin alkoxylate having a percent B by weight of alkoxylation, wherein A minus B is 10-50%, and wherein the ratio by weight of an amount of the first alkyl phenol-formaldehyde resin alkoxylate relative to the second alkyl phenol-formaldehyde resin alkoxylate is 1:9 to 9:1.

The method of claim 33, wherein the demulsifying composition further comprises at least one polyalkylene oxide polyol with a degree of ethoxylation greater than about 30% and less than about 85%, and a molecular weight ranging from about 1000 to about 25,000, and wherein a ratio of said C4-C12 alkyl phenol-formaldehyde resin alkoxylate to said polyalkylene oxide polyol ranges from about 1:9 to about 9:1.