US 9,458,389 B1Granted

Methods for estimating properties of hydrocarbons comprising asphaltenes based on their solubility

AssigneeThe University of Wyoming Research Corporation

InventorsJohn F. Schabron, Joseph F. Rovani, Jr.

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Abstract

Disclosed herein is a method of estimating a property of a hydrocarbon comprising the steps of: preparing a liquid sample of a hydrocarbon, the hydrocarbon having asphaltene fractions therein; precipitating at least some of the asphaltenes of a hydrocarbon from the liquid sample with one or more precipitants in a chromatographic column; dissolving at least two of the different asphaltene fractions from the precipitated asphaltenes during a successive dissolution protocol; eluting the at least two different dissolved asphaltene fractions from the chromatographic column; monitoring the amount of the fractions eluted from the chromatographic column; using detected signals to calculate a percentage of a peak area for a first of the asphaltene fractions and a peak area for a second of the asphaltene fractions relative to the total peak areas, to determine a parameter that relates to the property of the hydrocarbon; and estimating the property of the hydrocarbon.

Claims52

Dependent claims

A method of estimating a property of a hydrocarbon comprising the steps of:

(a) preparing a liquid sample of said hydrocarbon, said hydrocarbon having asphaltenes that include different asphaltene fractions of different polarity, and selected from the group consisting of oil and asphalt;
(b) intentionally precipitating at least some of said asphaltenes from said liquid sample with one or more precipitants, within a substantially chemically inert stationary phase in a chromatographic column;
(c) dissolving at least two of said different asphaltene fractions from said precipitated asphaltenes during a successive dissolution protocol that uses dissolving solvents of increasing strength;
(d) eluting said at least two different dissolved asphaltene fractions from said chromatographic column;
(e) monitoring the amount of said fractions eluted from said chromatographic column with a liquid chromatography detector that generates a detector signal for each said eluted fraction, wherein each of said signals is related to the amount of a respective one of said eluted fractions;
(f) using said signals to calculate at least one separation profile peak value for a first of said asphaltene fractions wherein said at least one separation profile peak value is derived from at least one of said signals, to determine a solubility-related parameter;
and
(g) estimating said property of said hydrocarbon based on said solubility-related parameter,
wherein said property of said hydrocarbon is selected from the group consisting of sediment content, oil processability, asphaltene content, polarity based makeup, proximity to coke formation, oil stability, reserve pyrolysis capacity, severity of pyrolysis, degree of thermal treatment, residue amount, asphaltene amount, asphaltene fraction amount, coke amount, pre-coke amount, insoluble material amount, and soluble material amount.

6 more elements

A method of estimating the effective particle volume fraction of a hydrocarbon comprising the steps of:

(a) preparing a liquid sample of said hydrocarbon, said hydrocarbon having asphaltenes that include different asphaltene fractions of different polarity, and said hydrocarbon selected from the group consisting of oil and asphalt;
(b) intentionally precipitating at least some of said asphaltenes from said liquid sample with one or more precipitants in a chromatographic column;
(c) dissolving at least two of said different asphaltene fractions from said precipitated asphaltenes during a successive dissolution protocol that uses dissolving solvents of increasing strength;
(d) eluting said at least two different dissolved asphaltene fractions from said chromatographic column;
(e) monitoring the amount of said fractions eluted from said chromatographic column with a liquid chromatography detector that generates a detector signal for each said eluted fraction, wherein each of said signals is related to the amount of a respective one of said eluted fractions;
(f) using said signals to calculate at least one separation profile peak value for a first of said asphaltene fractions, wherein said at least one separation profile peak value is derived from at least one of said signals, to determine a solubility-related parameter;
and
(g) estimating said effective particle volume fraction of said hydrocarbon from said solubility related parameter.

5 more elements

A method of blending at least two hydrocarbons comprising the steps of:

(a) preparing a liquid sample of a hydrocarbon, said hydrocarbon having asphaltenes that include different asphaltene fractions of different polarity, and said hydrocarbon selected from the group consisting of oil and asphalt;
(b) intentionally precipitating at least some of said asphaltenes from said liquid sample with one or more precipitants within a substantially chemically inert stationary phase in a chromatographic column;
(c) dissolving at least two of said different asphaltene fractions from said precipitated asphaltenes during a successive dissolution protocol that uses dissolving solvents of increasing strength;
(d) eluting said at least two different dissolved asphaltene fractions from said chromatographic column;
(e) monitoring the amount of said fractions eluted from said chromatographic column with a liquid chromatography detector that generates a detector signal for each said eluted fraction, wherein each of said signals is related to the amount of a respective one of said eluted fractions;
(f) using said signals to calculate at least one separation profile peak value for a first of said asphaltene fractions, wherein said at least one separation profile peak value is derived from at least one of said signals, to determine a solubility-related parameter;
(g) estimating a property of said hydrocarbon from said solubility-related parameter;
(h) repeating steps (a)-(g) for at least one other hydrocarbon;
and
(g) blending said hydrocarbons based on said estimated properties of said hydrocarbons to generate a hydrocarbon blend.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 14/152,661Filed 10 Jan 2014 · continuation
Priority: 25 Aug 2005
Granted: 4 Oct 2016
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification15 codes

C10G 7/12
Distillation of hydrocarbon oils: controlling or regulating
G01N 30/02
Investigating or analysing materials by separation into components using adsorption, absorption or similar phenomena or using ion-exchange, e.g.…:…
G01N 33/28
Oils; Viscous liquids; Paints; Inks: oils , i.e. hydrocarbon liquids
Y10T 436/116664
Condition or time responsive: with automated titrator

Family

Application60/711,599Us provisional application · filed 25 Aug 2005
Application11/510,491Parent of this continuation · filed 25 Aug 2006
Application12/970,535Parent of this continuation · filed 16 Dec 2010
Application13/243,782Parent of this continuation · filed 23 Sep 2011
Application13/490,307Parent of this continuation · filed 6 Jun 2012
Application13/490,316Parent of this continuation · filed 6 Jun 2012
Application13/600,039Parent of this continuation · filed 30 Aug 2012
Application13/909,780Parent of this continuation · filed 4 Jun 2013
US 8,628,970 B1Parent of this continuation
US 8,492,154 B1Parent of this continuation
US 8,530,240 B1Parent of this continuation
US 8,367,425 B1Parent of this continuation
US 8,273,581 B2Parent of this continuation
US 8,241,920 B2Parent of this continuation
US 7,875,464 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2007/0048874 A1Published application
US 2011/0120950 A1Published application
US 2012/0016168 A1Published application
US 9,458,389 B1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.