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US 4,068,676 AGranted
Method for dissolving polymeric materials in hydrocarbon liquids
AssigneeHalliburton Company
InventorsDonald J. Thorn, John W. Burnham
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
This invention discloses a method for dissolving a hydrocarbon soluble polymeric internal phase of an aqueous external phase emulsion in a hydrocarbon liquid comprising mixing the emulsion and the hydrocarbon liquid together in the presence of a release agent to thereby cause the polymeric internal phase to dissolve in the hydrocarbon liquid.
Claims28
A method for producing a solution of a polymer dissolved in a hydrocarbon liquid consisting essentially of:
- mixing an aqueous emulsion, having said polymer as the internal phase thereof, with a release agent in the immediate presence of said hydrocarbon liquid to thereby produce said solution within a time of about one minute wherein within said time said solution exhibits at least 65 percent less frictional resistance in turbulent flow than does said hydrocarbon liquid;
- wherein said hydrocarbon liquid is selected from the group consisting of straight and branched chain paraffin hydrocarbons, cyclo-paraffin hydrocarbons, mono-olefin hydrocarbons, di-olefin hydrocarbons, alkene hydrocarbons, aromatic hydrocarbons, crude oil and mixtures thereof, said hydrocarbon liquid being in the liquid state at atmospheric conditions;
- wherein said polymer is produced by the polymerization of compounds represented by the general formula ##STR5## and mixtures thereof, wherein R.sub.1 is selected from hydrogen and alkyl radicals having 1 to 20 carbon atoms and R.sub.2 is selected from methyl radicals, phenyl radicals, alkyl phenyl radicals having 7 to 26 carbon atoms and carboxylate radicals having 2 to 19 carbon atoms;
- and further
- wherein said release agent is selected from the group consisting of anhydrous hygroscopic chemicals, selected from the group consisting of alkali metal and alkaline earth metal carbonates, bicarbonates, acetates halides, and sulfates;
- hygroscopic organic polymers, selected from the group consisting of water soluble polysaccharides, water soluble polyacrylamides, water soluble polyacrylic acids and vinyl ether maleic anhydride copolymers;
- concentrated aqueous solutions or inorganic salts, selected from the group consisting of alkali metal and alkaline earth metal halides;
- chemicals which react with water, selected from the group consisting of acetyl chloride, acetic anhydride, phthalyl dichloride, calcium oxide and aluminum trichloride;
- strongly acidic solutions of mineral acids having a pH of no greater than about 2;
- and strongly basic solutions of alkali metal hydroxides having a pH of at least about 10.
7 more elements
A method for decreasing the frictional resistance of a hydrocarbon liquid flowing in turbulence in a conduit consisting essentially of:
- dissolving a polymer in said hydrocarbon liquid by mixing an aqueous emulsion, with a release agent in the immediate presence of said hydrocarbon liquid wherein said aqueous emulsion contains as the internal phase thereof a polymer which is soluble in said hydrocarbon liquid whereby said polymer dissolves in said hydrocarbon liquid to thereby reduce said frictional resistance of said hydrocarbon liquid flowing in said conduit at least about 65 percent within a time of about one minute;
- wherein said hydrocarbon liquid is selected from the group consisting of straight and branched chain paraffin hydrocarbons, cyclo-paraffin hydrocarbons, mono-olefin hydrocarbons, di-olefin hydrocarbons, alkene hydrocarbons, aromatic hydrocarbons, crude oil and mixtures thereof, said hydrocarbon liquid being in the liquid state at atmospheric conditions;
- wherein said polymer is produced by the polymerization of compounds represented by the general formula ##STR6## and mixtures thereof, wherein R.sub.1 is selected from hydrogen and alkyl radicals having 1 to 20 carbon atoms and R.sub.2 is selected from methyl radicals, phenyl radicals, alkyl phenyl radicals having 7 to 26 carbon atoms and carboxylate radicals having 2 to 19 carbon atoms;
- and further
- wherein said release agent is selected from the group consisting of anhydrous hygroscopic chemicals, selected from the group consisting of alkali metal and alkaline earth metal carbonates, bicarbonates, acetates halides, and sulfates;
- hygroscopic organic polymers, selected from the group consisting of water soluble polysaccharides, water soluble polyacrylamides, water soluble polyacrylic acids and vinyl ether maleic anhydride copolymers;
- concentrated aqueous solutions of inorganic salts, selected from the group consisting of acetyl chloride, acetic anhydride, phthalyl dichloride, calcium oxide and aluminum trichloride;
- strongly acidic solutions of mineral acids having a pH of no greater than about 2;
- and strongly basic solutions of alkali metal hydroxides having a pH of at least about 10.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.