Method of pumping waxy crude oil

Claim 2

AN IMPROVED PROCESS OF TRANSPORTING A HYDROCARBON MIXTURE THAT CONTAINS AT LEAST ABOUT 25 PERCENT WAX (THIS WAX IS DEFINED AS THE PRECIPITATE WHICH FORMS AFTER 1 PART OF THE HYDROCARBOM MIXTURE IS DISSOLVED IN 10 PARTS OF METHYLETHYL DETONE AT 80*C. AND THE MIXTURE CHILLED TO -25*C.), THE IMPROVED PROCESS COMPRISING FRACTIONATING THE HYDROCARBON MIXTURE INTO AT LEAST A LOW POUR POINT FRACTION, A MEDIUM POUR POINT FRACTION, AND A HIGH POUR POINT FRACTION, SUBSTANTIALLY CONGEALING AT LEAST A PORTION OF THE MEDIUM POUR POINT FRACTION AND OPTIONALLY A PORTION OF THE HIGH POUR POINT FRACTION, ADMIXING AT LEAST A PORTION OF THE HIGH POUR POINT FRACTION WITH THE LOW POUR POINT FRACTION AND THEREAFTER SLURRYING THE CONGEALED PARTICLES WITH THE LOW POUR POINT FRACTION TO OBTAIN A HYDROCARBON SLURRY SUITABLE FOR TRANSPORT AT PREDETERMINED TEMPERATURES.

Claim 3

The process of claim 1 wherein the hydrocarbon mixture has an average pour point above the average seasonably minimum temperature of the transportation system.

Claim 4

The process of claim 1 wherein the slurry is transported in a pipeline.

Claim 5

The process of claim 1 wherein the concentration of the congealed fraction in the slurry is about 1 to about 80% by weight.

Claim 6

The process of claim 1 wherein the concentration of the congealed fraction in the slurry is about 5 to about 55 percent by weight.

Claim 7

The process of claim 1 wherein slurrying is effected at a temperature at least about 5* below the average solution temperature of the congealed fraction within the slurry.

Claim 8

The process of claim 1 wherein the medium pour point fraction is congealed at a temperature at least about 5* below its pour point.

Claim 9

The proceSs of claim 1 wherein the congelation is effected by prilling.

Claim 10

The process of claim 1 wherein the average diameter of the congealed fraction is about 0.05 to about 20 mm.

Claim 11

The process of claim 1 wherein the slurry contains up to about 10 percent by weight water.

Claim 12

The process of claim 1 wherein a hydrocarbon diluent is admixed with the hydrocarbon slurry to improve the pumpability thereof.

Claim 13

A process for preparing a hydrocarbon slurry from a ''''waxy'''' crude oil containing at least 25 percent wax (wax is defined as the precipitate which forms after 1 part of hydrocarbon mixture is dissolved in 10 parts of methylethyl ketone at about 80*C. and the mixture chilled to -25*C.) that can be effectively transported in a conduit, the process comprising fractionating the crude oil into at least a low pour point fraction, a medium pour point fraction and a high pour point fraction, substantially congealing at least a portion of the medium pour point fraction which can optionally contain at least a portion of the high pour point fraction, thereafter slurrying at least a portion of the congealed particles in the low pour point fraction which contains at least a portion of the high pour fraction to obtain a hydrocarbon slurry containing about 5 to about 55 percent by weight of the congealed particles and transporting the slurry in a conduit at a temperature below about the average pour point of the low pour point fraction.

Claim 14

A process for preparing a hydrocarbon slurry from a ''''waxy'''' crude oil containing at least 25 percent wax (wax is defined as the precipitate which forms after 1 part of hydrocarbon mixture is dissolved in 10 parts of methylethyl ketone at about 80*C. and the mixture chilled to -25*C.) that can be effectively transported in a conduit, the process comprising fractionating the crude oil into at least a low pour point fraction, a medium pour point fraction and a high pour point fraction, substantially congealing at least a portion of the medium pour point fraction which can optionally contain at least a portion of the high pour point fraction, thereafter slurrying at least a portion of the congealed particles in the low pour point fraction which contains at least a portion of the high pour fraction to obtain a hydrocarbon slurry containing about 5 to about 55 percent by weight of the congealed particles and transporting the slurry in a conduit at a temperature below about the average pour point of the low pour point fraction.

Claim 15

The process of claim 12 wherein the concentration of the congealed fraction in the slurry is about 5 to about 55 percent by weight.

Claim 16

The process of claim 12 wherein a hydrocarbon diluent is admixed with the slurry to improve the pumpability thereof.