US4370238A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Process for drying surfactant-containing crude oil
Assignee: Marathon Oil Co
•
Filing: 1979-05-14
•
Granted: 1983-01-25
•
Expires: 1999-05-14
Abstract
Abstract The water content of a crude oil containing surfactant is reduced to less than 0.5 weight percent by first conventionally drying the crude oil to a water concentration less than about 10%, then contacting the crude oil with a low molecular weight alcohol to effect a phase separation into an aqueous layer and an oil layer, thereafter separating these layers to obtain a dried oil and an aqueous alcoholic surfactant solution. The alcohol can then be separated from the aqueous alcoholic surfactant solution. The recovered alcohol can be recycled through the system and the recovered surfactant can be reused in another micellar flood.
Inventors
- 👤 James E. Tackett, Jr.
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 00:30
CPC Classifications
C; C10; C10G; C10G33/00; C10G33/04
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 32
Claim 1
Independent Claim
84 words
A process for the removal of surfactant from a surfactant produced crude oil comprising drying the micellar produced crude oil to a water content of less than about 10%, and thereafter extracting the surfactant and remaining water from the surfactant produced crude oil with an alcohol selected from the group consisting of alcohols having a carbon to hydroxy group ratio of 3 or less, ethoxylated products of these alcohols and mixtures thereof wherein the alcohol contains less than about 12 percent by volume water.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
84 words
A process for the removal of surfactant from a surfactant produced crude oil comprising drying the micellar produced crude oil to a water content of less than about 10%, and thereafter extracting the surfactant and remaining water from the surfactant produced crude oil with an alcohol selected from the group consisting of alcohols having a carbon to hydroxy group ratio of 3 or less, ethoxylated products of these alcohols and mixtures thereof wherein the alcohol contains less than about 12 percent by volume water.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
124 words
A process for drying a crude oil containing surfactant to a water content of less than 0.5 weight percent, comprising the steps of: reducing the water content of the crude oil containing surfactant to less than about 10%; contacting the partially dried crude oil with an alcohol selected from the group consisting of alcohols having a carbon to hydroxy group ratio of 3 or less, ethoxylated products of these alcohols and mixtures thereof wherein the alcohol contains less than about 12 percent by volume water; allowing the mixture to separate into a dried oil layer and an aqueous alcoholic layer containing surfactant; separating the dried oil layer from the aqueous layer; and processing the aqueous alcoholic layer to separate the alcohol from the surfactant.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
124 words
A process for drying a crude oil containing surfactant to a water content of less than 0.5 weight percent, comprising the steps of: reducing the water content of the crude oil containing surfactant to less than about 10%; contacting the partially dried crude oil with an alcohol selected from the group consisting of alcohols having a carbon to hydroxy group ratio of 3 or less, ethoxylated products of these alcohols and mixtures thereof wherein the alcohol contains less than about 12 percent by volume water; allowing the mixture to separate into a dried oil layer and an aqueous alcoholic layer containing surfactant; separating the dried oil layer from the aqueous layer; and processing the aqueous alcoholic layer to separate the alcohol from the surfactant.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
The process of claim 1 or claim 2 wherein prior to the drying process the crude oil contains at least 0.1 weight percent of surfactant.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
The process of claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the alcohol is selected from the group consisting of methanol, ethanol, propanol, ethoxylated products of these alcohols and mixtures thereof.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
The process of claim 4 wherein the alcohol is employed in an amount of from about 0.5 to about 15 percent by volume of the crude oil being processed.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
10 words
The process of claim 5 wherein the alcohol is anhydrous.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
10 words
The process of claim 5 wherein the alcohol is methanol.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
The process of claim 3 wherein the surfactant produced crude oil is produced from a subterranean formation by a micellar dispersion comprised of water, hydrocarbon and surfactant.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
43 words
The process of claim 8 wherein the surfactant recovered from the micellar produced crude oil is reused as a component of another surfactant flood of the subterranean formation and the alcohol recovered from the extraction process is recycled back to the extraction process.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
79 words
In a process for the refining of surfactant produced crude oil to obtain petroleum products, the improvement comprising: drying the surfactant produced crude oil to a water content of about 10% or less, and thereafter extracting the surfactant and remaining water from the crude oil with an alcohol selected from the group consisting of alcohols having a carbon to hydroxy group ratio of 3 or less, ethoxylated products of these alcohols and mixtures thereof prior to a desalting operation.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
79 words
In a process for the refining of surfactant produced crude oil to obtain petroleum products, the improvement comprising: drying the surfactant produced crude oil to a water content of about 10% or less, and thereafter extracting the surfactant and remaining water from the crude oil with an alcohol selected from the group consisting of alcohols having a carbon to hydroxy group ratio of 3 or less, ethoxylated products of these alcohols and mixtures thereof prior to a desalting operation.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
25 words
The process of claim 10 wherein the surfactant produced crude oil contains at least about 0.1 percent by weight surfactant prior to the drying process.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
25 words
The process of claim 10 wherein alcohol is selected from the group consisting of methanol, ethanol, propanol, ethoxylated products of these alcohols and mixtures thereof.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
10 words
The process of claim 12 wherein the alcohol is anhydrous.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
33 words
The process of claim 12 wherein the alcohol is an aqueous solution, which after contact with the crude oil produces a mixture that contains less than about 12 percent by volume of water.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
29 words
The process of claim 12 wherein the alcohol is employed in an amount of from about 0.5 to about 15 percent by volume of the crude oil being processed.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
10 words
The process of claim 15 wherein the alcohol is methanol.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
10 words
The process of claim 15 wherein the alcohol is ethanol.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
10 words
The process of claim 15 wherein the alcohol is propanol.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
11 words
The process of claim 15 wherein the alcohol is ethylene glycol.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
28 words
The process of claim 16 wherein the methanol is employed in an amount of from about 2.5 to about 5% by volume of the crude oil being processed.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
17 words
The process of claim 15 wherein a saturated salt solution is employed in conjunction with the alcohol.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
33 words
The process of claim 21 wherein the salt solution is employed in an amount of from about 2 to about 10 percent weight of dry salt volume of the crude oil being processed.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
26 words
The process of claim 12 wherein the surfactant produced crude oil is initially dried to a water content of less than about 10% by gravitational settling.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
25 words
The process of claim 12 wherein the surfactant produced crude oil is initially dried to a water content of less than about 10% by centrifugation.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
30 words
The process of claim 12 wherein the surfactant produced crude oil is initially dried to a water content of less than about 10% by the application of an electrical field.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
30 words
The process of claim 12 wherein the surfactant produced crude oil is initially dried to a water content of less than about 10% by the addition of a deemulsifying agent.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
29 words
The process of claim 26 wherein the deemulsifying agent is selected from the group consisting of triethanolamine, ethoxylated phenol resins, zinc chloride, polymerized trithionylamines, oxygenated polyamines, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
96 words
A process for the removal of surfactant from a surfactant produced crude oil comprising drying the micellar produced crude oil to a water content of less than about 10%, and thereafter extracting the surfactant and remaining water from the surfactant produced crude oil with an alcohol selected from the group consisting of alcohols having a carbon to hydroxy group ratio of 3 or less, ethoxylated products of these alcohols and mixtures thereof wherein the alcohol is employed in an amount of from about 0.5 to about 15 percent by volume of the crude oil being processed.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
96 words
A process for the removal of surfactant from a surfactant produced crude oil comprising drying the micellar produced crude oil to a water content of less than about 10%, and thereafter extracting the surfactant and remaining water from the surfactant produced crude oil with an alcohol selected from the group consisting of alcohols having a carbon to hydroxy group ratio of 3 or less, ethoxylated products of these alcohols and mixtures thereof wherein the alcohol is employed in an amount of from about 0.5 to about 15 percent by volume of the crude oil being processed.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US1842983A
Cited
US1882002A
Cited
US2377565A
Cited
US2295065A
Cited
US2846359A
Cited
US3417012A
Cited
US3637017A
Cited
US4021333A
Cited
US4216079A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1986-01-24 | 1986-07-26 | 1987-01-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1990-01-24 | 1990-07-26 | 1991-01-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1994-01-24 | 1994-07-26 | 1995-01-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |