Method of controlling asphaltene precipitation in a fluid
AssigneeImperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine
InventorsRodney J. Gochin, Alec Smith
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Abstract
A method of controlling asphaltene precipitation in a fluid comprising the addition of a precipitation inhibitor to the fluid containing the asphaltene.
Claims17
A method of controlling asphaltene precipitation in a fluid comprising the addition of a precipitation inhibitor to the fluid containing the asphaltene, wherein said precipitation inhibitor comprises a first part which is capable of adsorbing onto an asphaltene particle and a second part which is capable of dissolving in the fluid and is a hydrocarbon-based chain or polymer.
A method of controlling asphaltene precipitaion in a fluid comprising the addition to the fluid containing the asphaltene of a compound of general formula I:
- X—(R)n I
- where X is a carbocyclic ring;
- R is an aliphatic chain;
- and
- n is at least 1 and is not greater than the valency of X.
A method of controlling asphaltene precipitation in a fluid comprising the addition of hexadecyl naphthalene to the fluid comprising the asphaltene.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.