# US 9,434,803 B2 · Reverse emulsion breaker polymers

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- Number: US 9,434,803 B2
- Document ID: US9434803B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/043,017
- Filed: 2016-02-12
- Published: 2016-07-21
- Granted: 2016-09-06
- Earliest claimed: 2015-01-15
- Assignees: Ecolab USA Inc.
- Applicants: Ecolab USA Inc.
- Inventors: Michael Squicciarini
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9434803B2

## CPC

- C08F 220/56: Acrylamide; Methacrylamide
- C08F 2/10: Aqueous solvent
- C08F 220/54: Amides {, e.g. N,N-dimethylacrylamide or N-isopropylacrylamide}
- C10G 33/04: with chemical means
- C08F 220/606: {and containing other heteroatoms}
- C08F: MACROMOLECULAR COMPOUNDS OBTAINED BY REACTIONS ONLY INVOLVING CARBON-TO-CARBON UNSATURATED BONDS
- C10G: CRACKING HYDROCARBON OILS; PRODUCTION OF LIQUID HYDROCARBON MIXTURES, e.g. BY DESTRUCTIVE HYDROGENATION, OLIGOMERISATION, POLYMERISATION (cracking to hydrogen or synthesis gas C01B; cracking or pyrolysis of hydrocarbon gases to individual hydrocarbons or mixtures thereof of definite or specified constitution C07C; cracking to cokes C10B); RECOVERY OF HYDROCARBON OILS FROM OIL-SHALE, OIL-SAND, OR GASES; REFINING MIXTURES MAINLY CONSISTING OF HYDROCARBONS; REFORMING OF NAPHTHA; MINERAL WAXES

## 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.

## Claims

### Claim 1

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.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The reverse emulsion breaker of claim 1, wherein R1 and R2 are hydrogen; R3 is methyl; R4, R5, R6, R7, and R8 are methyl, and p is 3.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The reverse emulsion breaker of claim 1 wherein R1, R2, and R3 are independently hydrogen or methyl.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The reverse emulsion breaker of claim 3 wherein R1 and R2 are hydrogen.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The reverse emulsion breaker of claim 3 wherein R4, R5, R6, R7, and R8 are independently methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, pentyl, or hexyl.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The reverse emulsion breaker of claim 5 wherein R4, R5, R6, R7, and R8 are methyl.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The reverse emulsion breaker of claim 5 wherein p is 1 to 3.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The reverse emulsion breaker of claim 1, wherein the molecular weight of the terpolymer is from about 800,000 to about 1,000,000 Daltons.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The reverse emulsion breaker of claim 1 wherein the reverse emulsion breaker is water-soluble.

### Claim 10

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.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The reverse emulsion breaker of claim 10, wherein R1 and R2 are hydrogen; R3 is methyl; R4, R5, R6, R7, and R8 are methyl, and p is 3.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The reverse emulsion breaker of claim 10 wherein R1, R2, and R3 are independently hydrogen or methyl.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The reverse emulsion breaker of claim 12 wherein R1 and R2 are hydrogen.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The reverse emulsion breaker of claim 12 wherein R6, R7, and R8 are independently methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, pentyl, or hexyl.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The reverse emulsion breaker of claim 14 wherein R4, R5, R6, R7, and R8 are methyl.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The reverse emulsion breaker of claim 14 wherein p is 1 to 3.

### Claim 17 (depends on 10)

The reverse emulsion breaker of claim 10, wherein the molecular weight of the terpolymer is from about 300,000 to about 1,300,000 Daltons.

### Claim 18 (depends on 10)

The reverse emulsion breaker of claim 10, wherein the molecular weight of the terpolymer is from about 800,000 to about 1,000,000 Daltons.

### Claim 19 (depends on 10)

The reverse emulsion breaker of claim 10 wherein the reverse emulsion breaker is water-soluble.