Viscosity reduction of crude oils and residuums
AssigneeMarathon Oil Company
InventorMark A. Plummer
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Adverse effects of asphaltenes in liquid hydrocarbons are reduced by incorporating into the liquid hydrocarbon sufficient concentration, e.g., about 0.5 to 5 weight % of a dispersant to disassemble or break up agglomerates of the asphaltenes. The dispersant has a polarity of about 0.3 to about 3.2 Debye Units and is preferably selected from the group of toluene, o-xylene, m-xylene, tetralin, furan, phenol, ethyl benzoate, butraldehyde, acetophenone and cyclohexanone.
Claims11
A method for dispersing asphaltenes in a liquid hydrocarbon consisting essentially of introducing from about 0.1 to about 25 weight percent of a hydrocarbon soluble asphaltene dispersant into the liquid hydrocarbon, said dispersant having a polarity of about 0.3 to about 3.2 Debye Units.
A method for dispersing asphaltenes in a liquid hydrocarbon containing kerosene as a diluent consisting essentially of incorporating in the liquid hydrocarbon from about 0.1 to about 10 weight % of an asphaltene dispersant soluble in the liquid hydrocarbon and having a polarity of about 0.3 to about 3.2 Debye Units.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.