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AssigneeTexaco Exploration Canada Ltd.
InventorsMahendra S. Patel, Aleksy Sacuta
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A process for recovering oil from either water-bituminous petroleum emulsions or from crude petroleum emulsions having a pH of 10 or less by adding thereto an optimum amount of non-ionic, water soluble polyethylene oxide polymers at a pH of 10 or less, and separating the oil from water. To resolve bituminous petroleum emulsions, the process is carried out at between 150.degree. F and 210.degree. F and a diluent is added to reduce the petroleum viscosity. The minimum effective concentration of the polymers used decreases as their molecular weight increases. In a modification of the process, an effective amount of an alkaline earth metal halide such as calcium chloride is added to improve coagulation and separation of any clay present.
A process for recovering oil from oil-in-water and water-in-oil emulsions wherein said emulsions contain clay tending to stabilize said emulsions, said process comprising in combination demulsifying said emulsions by adding thereto from 10 to 60 parts per million of non-ionic, water-soluble, polyethylene oxide polymers having a molecular weight in the range of 100,000 to 7,000,000, together with 100 to 20,000 parts per million of an alkaline earth metal halide in an aqueous solution and separating said oil from said water and said clay.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.