Crude oil compositions having improved low temperature flow properties
AssigneeShell Oil Company
InventorsEduard J. van de Kraats, Arnold A. Buitelaar
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Abstract
The flow properties of waxy crude oils are improved by the incorporation therein of a copolymer of (1) an olefinically unsaturated compound containing a long hydrocarbon side chain and (2) an olefinically unsaturated heterocyclic nitrogen-containing compound, e.g., 4-vinyl pyridine.
Claims7
A crude oil composition having improved low-temperature flow properties upon exposure to cooling at a rate not exceeding 5.degree.C per hour which comprises a waxy crude oil having a wax content of 6-20% weight and having incorporated therein from 0.001 to 2.0% by weight of a copolymer of (1) a C.sub.14 to C.sub. 30 alkyl ester of acrylic or methacrylic acid and (2) 4-vinyl pyridine, the ratio of alkyl side chains to pyridine rings being from about 1:1 to about 20:1 and the copolymer having a number average molecular weight of between 1,000 and 1,000,000.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.