Reverse emulsion breaker polymers
AssigneeEcolab USA Inc.
InventorMichael Squicciarini
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Abstract
The present invention generally relates to methods for resolving water and oil emulsions in the produced fluid of an oil production system comprising adding a reverse emulsion breaker to the produced fluid of the crude oil production system in an amount effective for resolving an oil-in-water emulsion. In particular, these methods for resolving an oil-in-water emulsion can be used in separation processes where the oil and solids in the produced fluid are separated from the produced water in the produced fluid.
Claims19
A reverse emulsion breaker comprising a terpolymer, the terpolymer comprising repeat units of Formulae 1, 2, and 3:
- wherein
- R1, R2, and R3 are independently hydrogen or alkyl;
- R4, R5, R6, R7, and R8 are independently alkyl;
- p is an integer from 1 to 6;
- and
- m, n, and o are integers wherein the molecular weight of the terpolymer is from about 300,000 to about 1,300,000 Daltons and n is an integer providing from about 3 mole percent to about 89 mole percent of the repeat unit of Formula 2.
A reverse emulsion breaker comprising a terpolymer, the terpolymer consisting essentially of repeat units of Formulae 1, 2, and 3:
- wherein
- R1, R2, and R3 are independently hydrogen or alkyl;
- R4 and R5 are independently methyl, ethyl, or propyl;
- R6, R7, and R8 are independently alkyl;
- p is an integer from 1 to 6;
- and
- m, n, and o are integers wherein the molecular weight of the terpolymer is from about 20,000 to about 20,000,000 Daltons.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.