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US 5,490,940 AGranted
Method for forming mineral solids-oil floccules
AssigneeExxon Production Research Company
InventorsJames R. Bragg, Shan H. Yang
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method is disclosed for removing spilled oil from shorelines, other solid surfaces, or from the surface of a body of water by adding to the surface a mixture of fine hydrophilic mineral solids dispersed in an aqueous liquid that interacts with the oil to form buoyant mineral fines-oil floccules. These floccules reduce the tendency of the oil to adhere to solid surfaces or to recoalesce, thus facilitating dispersion and removal of the oil.
Claims19
A method for removing oil from a solid surface, said method comprising:
- (a) dispersing solid particles consisting essentially of hydrophilic mineral particles having a mean particle diameter of about 10 microns or less in an aqueous liquid, to form a liquid-mineral particle dispersion, said liquid having sufficient ionic strength which will allow formation of substantially buoyant and dispersible stabilized mineral solids-oil floccules wherein said particles remain substantially hydrophilic;
- (b) contacting said oil with said liquid-mineral particle dispersion under conditions allowing discrete oil droplets to form from said oil;
- (c) forming said hydrophilic and dispersible stabilized mineral solids-oil floccules that are substantially buoyant;
- and
- (d) removing said stabilized mineral solids-oil floccules from said solid surface with water.
2 more elements
A method for dispersing oil on a water surface, said method comprising:
- (a) dispersing solid particles consisting essentially of hydrophilic mineral particles having a mean particle diameter of about 10 microns or less in an aqueous liquid, to form a liquid-mineral particle dispersion, said liquid having sufficient ionic strength which will allow formation of substantially buoyant and dispersible stabilized mineral solids-oil floccules wherein said particles remain substantially hydrophilic;
- (b) contacting said oil with said liquid-mineral particle dispersion under conditions allowing discrete oil droplets to form from said oil;
- (c) forming said hydrophilic and dispersible stabilized mineral solids-oil floccules that are substantially buoyant;
- and
- (d) allowing said stabilized mineral solids-oil floccules to disperse over said water surface,
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.