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US 5,667,727 AGranted
Polymer compositions for demulsifying crude oil
AssigneeBaker Hughes Incorporated
InventorsPatrick J. Breen, James W. Towner
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Polymer compositions made by reacting a polyol with an aromatic hydrocarbon containing only a single reactive functionality have been discovered to be useful demulsifiers for crude oil compositions. The aromatic hydrocarbon should have at least one aryl group and only one functionality reactive with a hydroxyl. The polyol may optionally be crosslinked prior to reaction with the aromatic hydrocarbon, and the crosslinking agent may be a diepoxide.
Claims8
A method of demulsifying emulsions of oil and water comprising:
- adding a polymer to an emulsion, where the polymer comprises the reaction product of:
- a polyol made by reacting alkylene oxide with sorbitol, where the alkylene oxide is selected from the group consisting of ethylene oxide, propylene oxide, and mixtures of the two;
- and
- an aromatic hydrocarbon containing only one reactive functionality of the formula:
- ##STR4## where X is a reactive functionality selected from the group consisting of an oxirane ring, and a glycidyl ether moiety;
- where y ranges from 0 to 5, and where R is a straight, branched or cyclic;
- aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbon substituent containing 1 to 15 carbon atoms
- where the molar equivalent ratio of aromatic hydrocarbon to hydroxyl groups on the polyol ranges from about 0.1 to about 1.2, and where the aromatic hydrocarbon terminates the polyol;
- and
- permitting the emulsion to resolve into an oil phase and a water phase.
7 more elements
A polymer useful in demulsifying emulsions of oil and water, comprising the reaction product of:
- a polyol made by reacting alkylene oxide with sorbitol, where the alkylene oxide is selected from the group consisting of ethylene oxide, propylene oxide, and mixtures of the two;
- and
- an aromatic hydrocarbon of the formula:
- ##STR5## where X is a reactive functionality selected from the group consisting of an oxirane ring, and a glycidyl ether moiety;
- where y ranges from 0 to 5, and where R is a straight, branched or cyclic;
- aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbon substituent containing from 1 to 15 carbon atoms
- where the molar equivalent ratio of aromatic hydrocarbon to hydroxyl groups on the polyol ranges from about 0.1 to about 1.2, and where the aromatic hydrocarbon terminates the polyol.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.