Wax crystal modifiers (LAW657)
AssigneeExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company
InventorsAbhimanyu Onkar Patil, Stephen Zushma, Enock Berluche, Manika Varma-Nair
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention relates to a copolymer composition useful as wax crystal modifiers and flow improvers. The compositions are copolymers of a C6 to C250 straight-chain or branched dialkyl filmarate and at least one compound selected from the group consisting of carbon monoxide, C3 to C30 α-olefin, ethylene, styrene, and vinyl acetate.
Claims22
A copolymer comprising carbon monoxide monomers and C6 to C250 dialkyl fumarate monomers, the dialkyl fumarate monomers having straight-chain or branched alkyl groups.
A flow improver for use in an oleaginous fluid comprising one or more copolymers of C6 to C250 dialkyl fumarate monomers and carbon monoxide monomers, the dialkyl fumarate monomers having straight-chain or branched alkyl groups.
A wax crystal modifier for use in a crude oil having at least one alkane species, comprising:
- a copolymer of dialkyl fumarate monomers and at least one compound selected from the group consisting of styrene monomers and carbon monoxide monomers, the dialkyl fumarate monomers having straight-chain or branched alkyl groups ranging in size from about C6 to about C250.
A method for improving the flow properties in an oleaginous fluid, the method comprising:
- adding to a major amount of the oleaginous fluid a minor amount of at least one copolymer of dialkylfumarate monomers and at least one compound selected from the group consisting of styrene monomers and carbon monoxide monomers, the dialkyl fumarate monomers having from C6 to C250 straight-chain or branched alkyl groups.
A method for forming a copolymer, the method comprising:
- dissolving a C6 to C250 straight-chain dialkyl fumarate monomer in a solvent selected from the group consisting of hexane, benzene, cyclohexane, chloroform, xylene, oil, and heptane;
- combining in a reactor the dissolved dialkyl fumarate monomer and an initiator selected from the group consisting of t-butyl peroxypivalate, benzoyl peroxide, t-butyl perbenzoate, and t-butyl peroxide in a reactor;
- sealing the reactor and then purging the reactor with purified nitrogen;
- pressurizing the reactor with carbon monoxide to a pressure ranging from about 100 to about 3000 psig;
- and
- heating the reactor to a temperature ranging from about 40° C. to about 200° C. for a time ranging from about 1 hour to about 48 hours in order to form the copolymer.
A method for forming a copolymer, the method comprising:
- combining in a reactor under free radical polymerization conditions a C6 to C250 straight-chain dialkyl fumarate monomer in a solvent selected from the group consisting of hexane, benzene, cyclohexane, chloroform, xylene, oil, and heptane;
- carbon monoxide;
- and an initiator selected from the group consisting of t-butyl peroxypivalate, benzoyl peroxide, t-butyl perbenzoate, and t-butyl peroxide, for a time, temperature, and pressure sufficient to form the copolymer.
A method for improving the flow properties in an oleaginous fluid having at least one alkane species, comprising the steps of:
- (a) determining a molecular weight distribution of the alkane species in the oleaginous fluid;
- and
- (b) adding to a major amount of the oleaginous fluid a minor amount of at least one copolymer of dialkylfumarate monomers and at least one compound selected from the group consisting of styrene monomers and carbon monoxide monomers, the dialkyl fumarate monomers having straight-chain or branched alkyl groups with substantially the same molecular weight distribution as the alkane species in the oleaginous fluid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.