US5156652A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Low-temperature pipeline emulsion transportation enhancement
Assignee: Nexen Inc
•
Filing: 1989-12-13
•
Granted: 1992-10-20
•
Expires: 2009-12-13
Abstract
Abstract Stable oil-in-water emulsions for pipeline transmission are formed at a temperature of from about 100° F. to about 200° F. preferably using at least one ethoxylated alkylphenol compound and a freezing point depressant for water to enable pipeline transmission at temperatures below the freezing point of water.
Inventors
- 👤 Armand A. Gregoli
- 👤 Andrew M. Olah
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 17:24
CPC Classifications
C; C10; C10L; C10L1/00; C10L1/32; C10L1/328; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S516/00; Y10S516/01; Y10S516/924; Y10S516/928; Y10T; Y10T137/00; Y10T137/0318; Y10T137/0324; Y10T137/0329; Y10T137/0335; Y10T137/0391
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 51
Claim 1
Independent Claim
89 words
A process for preparing an oil-in-water emulsion comprising agitating a hydrocarbon with an emulsifying composition comprising an aqueous phase and a minor amount of an emulsifying agent to form an oil-in-water emulsion, wherein the emulsifying agent comprises an ethoxylated alkylphenol compound having the general formula: ##STR10## wherein R is a hydrocarbon group and y has an average value greater than 100 and up to about 250 and is representative of the midpoint of a Gaussian distribution of ethylene oxide units coupled by polymerization in formation of the emulsifying agent.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
89 words
A process for preparing an oil-in-water emulsion comprising agitating a hydrocarbon with an emulsifying composition comprising an aqueous phase and a minor amount of an emulsifying agent to form an oil-in-water emulsion, wherein the emulsifying agent comprises an ethoxylated alkylphenol compound having the general formula: ##STR10## wherein R is a hydrocarbon group and y has an average value greater than 100 and up to about 250 and is representative of the midpoint of a Gaussian distribution of ethylene oxide units coupled by polymerization in formation of the emulsifying agent.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
A process as claimed in claim 1 in which the emulsifying agent content of the emulsifying composition is from about 0.05 to about 4 volume percent.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
A process as claimed in claim 1 in which the emulsifying agent content of the formed emulsion is from about 25 to about 15,000 ppm based on the weight of the hydrocarbon.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
A process as claimed in claim 1 in which the emulsion is stabilized by the presence of a stabilizing amount of the biopolymer xanthan.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
A process as claimed in claim 4 in which the biopolymer is present in a concentration of from about 25 to about 5000 ppm based on the weight of the hydrocarbon.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
33 words
The process of claim 1 wherein R has the general formula: CH 3 --(CH 2 ) n -- wherein n is an integer having a value of from about 7 to about 20.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
49 words
The process of claim 1 additionally comprising admixing a freezing point depressant with the emulsifying composition in an amount sufficient to lower the freezing point of the formed oil-in-water emulsion and cause the formed oil-in-water emulsion to remain fluid at a select temperature below the freezing point of water.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
130 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said formed oil-in-water emulsion comprises an oil droplet phase dispersed in a water continuous phase, and said process additionally comprises transporting the formed oil-in-water emulsion of claim 1 through a pipeline until a portion of the dispersed oil droplet phase coalesces in the water continuous phase to produce a mixture comprising a coalesced oil droplet phase having a viscosity higher than the viscosity of the formed oil-in-water emulsion of claim 1 and a residual oil-in-water emulsion, without a substantial proportion of said formed oil-in-water emulsion of claim 1 being inverted into a water-in-oil emulsion, and wherein said mixture comprising said coalesced oil droplet phase and said residual oil-in-water emulsion has a viscosity lower than the viscosity of the formed oil-in-water emulsion of claim 1.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
The process of claim 8 additionally comprises transporting said mixture comprising said coalesced oil droplet phase and said residual oil-in-water of claim 8 through said pipeline.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
57 words
The process of claim 9 additionally comprising separating oil from said mixture comprising said coalesced oil droplet phase and said residual oil-in-water emulsion after said transporting step and subsequently recycling the remaining portion of said mixture after said oil has been removed back to be admixed with additional emulsifying composition for use in preparing additional oil-in-water emulsion.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
46 words
The process of claim 1 wherein said emulsifying agent additionally comprises a second ethoxylated alkylphenol compound having the general formula: ##STR11## wherein R 2 is a hydrocarbon group and y 2 is an integer representing the average of Gaussian distribution ranging from about 4 to 250.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
34 words
The process of claim 11 wherein R 2 is a nonyl alkyl group and y 2 is about 40, and the second ethoxylated alkylphenol compound comprises about 50% by wt. of the emulisfying agent.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
190 words
A process for preparing an oil-in-water emulsion for low-temperature pipeline transmission comprising mixing a hydrocarbon with an emulsifying composition at a temperature of from about 100° F. to about 2100° F. to form an oil-in-water emulsion having a viscosity sufficiently low for pipeline transmission, wherein said emulsifying composition comprising water and oil insoluble emulsifying agents comprising at least one compound having the general formula: ##STR12## and mixtures thereof, wherein each R is a hydrocarbon group and y is an integer having a value greater than 100 up to about 250, said emulsion having an aqueous phase comprising water and a freezing point depressant for water which is a hydroxyorganic compound, wherein the amount of aqueous phase present is from about 15% to about 60% by weight based on the combined weight of the hydrocarbon and emulsifying composition, and wherein the emulsifying agent is provided in an amount sufficient to form an oil-in-water emulsion that is sufficiently stable for pipeline transmission, and wherein the freezing point depressant is present in an amount sufficient to cause the oil-in-water emulsion to remain fluid at a select temperature below the freezing point of water.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
190 words
A process for preparing an oil-in-water emulsion for low-temperature pipeline transmission comprising mixing a hydrocarbon with an emulsifying composition at a temperature of from about 100° F. to about 2100° F. to form an oil-in-water emulsion having a viscosity sufficiently low for pipeline transmission, wherein said emulsifying composition comprising water and oil insoluble emulsifying agents comprising at least one compound having the general formula: ##STR12## and mixtures thereof, wherein each R is a hydrocarbon group and y is an integer having a value greater than 100 up to about 250, said emulsion having an aqueous phase comprising water and a freezing point depressant for water which is a hydroxyorganic compound, wherein the amount of aqueous phase present is from about 15% to about 60% by weight based on the combined weight of the hydrocarbon and emulsifying composition, and wherein the emulsifying agent is provided in an amount sufficient to form an oil-in-water emulsion that is sufficiently stable for pipeline transmission, and wherein the freezing point depressant is present in an amount sufficient to cause the oil-in-water emulsion to remain fluid at a select temperature below the freezing point of water.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
29 words
A process as claimed in claim 13 in which the freezing point depressant is present in an amount up to about 60 percent by volume of the aqueous phase.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
16 words
A process as claimed in claim 14 in which the freezing point depressant is ethylene glycol.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
16 words
A process as claimed in claim 13 in which the freezing point depressant is ethylene glycol.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
32 words
A process as claimed in claim 13 in which the freezing point depressant is present in an amount of from about 10 to about 50 percent by volume of the aqueous phase.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
16 words
A process as claimed in claim 17 in which the freezing point depressant is ethylene glycol.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
25 words
A process as claimed in claim 13 in which the emulsifying agent content of the emulsifying composition is from 0.05 to about 4 volume percent.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
32 words
A process as claimed in claim 13 in which the emulsifying agent content of the formed emulsion is from about 25 to about 15,000 ppm based on the weight of the hydrocarbon.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
35 words
A process as claimed in claim 13 in which the emulsifying agent comprises a mixture of about 15 to about 60% by weight ethoxylated alkylphenol and about 40 to about 85% by weight ethoxylated dialkylphenol.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
24 words
A process as claimed in claim 13 in which the emulsion is stabilized by the presence of a stabilizing amount of the biopolymer xanthan.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
31 words
A process as claimed in claim 22 in which the biopolymer is present in a concentration of from about 25 to about 5000 ppm based on the weight of the hydrocarbon.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
194 words
A process for preparing an oil-in-water emulsion for low-temperature pipeline transmission comprising mixing a hydrocarbon with an emulsifying composition at a temperature of from about 100° F. to about 200° F. to form an oil-in-water emulsion having a viscosity sufficiently low for pipeline transmission, wherein said emulsifying composition comprises water and an emulsifying agent comprising at least one substantially oil insoluble ethoxylated alkylphenol compound having the general formula: ##STR13## or an ethoxylated dialkylphenol compound having the general formula: ##STR14## and mixtures thereof wherein each n is an integer having a value of from about 7 to about 21, and y is an integer having a value greater than 100 up to about 250, and in which a continuous aqueous phase is present in an amount of from about 15% to about 60% by weight based on the combined weight of the oil and emulsifying composition, wherein the emulsifying agents are used in an amount sufficient to enable the formation of an oil-in-water emulsion that is sufficiently stable for pipeline transmission, and wherein the aqueous phase contains glycol in an amount of from about 10 to about 50 percent by volume of the aqueous phase.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
194 words
A process for preparing an oil-in-water emulsion for low-temperature pipeline transmission comprising mixing a hydrocarbon with an emulsifying composition at a temperature of from about 100° F. to about 200° F. to form an oil-in-water emulsion having a viscosity sufficiently low for pipeline transmission, wherein said emulsifying composition comprises water and an emulsifying agent comprising at least one substantially oil insoluble ethoxylated alkylphenol compound having the general formula: ##STR13## or an ethoxylated dialkylphenol compound having the general formula: ##STR14## and mixtures thereof wherein each n is an integer having a value of from about 7 to about 21, and y is an integer having a value greater than 100 up to about 250, and in which a continuous aqueous phase is present in an amount of from about 15% to about 60% by weight based on the combined weight of the oil and emulsifying composition, wherein the emulsifying agents are used in an amount sufficient to enable the formation of an oil-in-water emulsion that is sufficiently stable for pipeline transmission, and wherein the aqueous phase contains glycol in an amount of from about 10 to about 50 percent by volume of the aqueous phase.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
25 words
A process as claimed in claim 24 in which the emulsifying agent content of the emulsifying composition is from 0.05 to about 4 volume percent.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
31 words
A process as claimed in claim 24 in which the emulsifying agent content of the formed emulsion is from about 25 to 15,000 ppm based on the weight of the bitumen.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
24 words
A process as claimed in claim 24 in which the emulsion is stabilized by the presence of a stabilizing amount of the biopolymer xanthan.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
31 words
A process as claimed in claim 27 in which the biopolymer is present in a concentration of from about 25 to about 5,000 ppm based on the weight of the hydrocarbon.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
17 words
A process as claimed in claim 24 in which the emulsion is formed under static shear conditions.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
23 words
A process as claimed in claim 24 in which the emulsifying agent comprises a mixture of the ethoxylated alkylphenol and the ethoxylated dialkylphenol.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
30 words
A process as claimed in claim 24 in which the mixture comprises about 15 to 60% by weight ethoxylated alkylphenol and about 40 to about 85% by weight ethoxylated dialkylphenol.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
90 words
A process for preparing an oil-in-water emulsion comprising agitating a hydrocarbon with an emulsifying composition comprising an aqueous phase and a minor amount of an emulsifying agent to form an oil-in-water emulsion, wherein the emulsifying agent comprises an ethoxylated dialkylphenol compound having the general formula: ##STR15## wherein each R is a hydrocarbon group and y has an average value greater than 100 and up to about 250 and is representative of the midpoint of a Gaussian distribution of ethylene oxide units coupled by polymerization in formation of the emulsifying agent.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
90 words
A process for preparing an oil-in-water emulsion comprising agitating a hydrocarbon with an emulsifying composition comprising an aqueous phase and a minor amount of an emulsifying agent to form an oil-in-water emulsion, wherein the emulsifying agent comprises an ethoxylated dialkylphenol compound having the general formula: ##STR15## wherein each R is a hydrocarbon group and y has an average value greater than 100 and up to about 250 and is representative of the midpoint of a Gaussian distribution of ethylene oxide units coupled by polymerization in formation of the emulsifying agent.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
30 words
The process of claim 32 wherein each R has the general formula: CH.sub.3 --(CH.sub.2).sub.n -- wherein n is an integer having a value of from about 7 to about 20.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
49 words
The process of claim 32 additionally comprising admixing a freezing point depressant with the emulsifying composition in an amount sufficient to lower the freezing point of the formed oil-in-water emulsion and cause the formed oil-in-water emulsion to remain fluid at a select temperature below the freezing point of water.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
130 words
The process of claim 32 wherein said formed oil-in-water emulsion comprises an oil droplet phase dispersed in a water continuous phase, and said process additionally comprises transporting the formed oil-in-water emulsion of claim 32 through a pipeline until a portion of the dispersed oil droplet phase coalesces in the water continuous phase to produce a mixture comprising a coalesced oil droplet phase having a viscosity higher than the viscosity of the formed oil-in-water emulsion of claim 32 and a residual oil-in-water emulsion, without a substantial proportion of said formed oil-in-water emulsion of claim 32 being inverted into a water-in-oil emulsion, and wherein said mixture comprising said coalesced oil droplet phase and said residual oil-in-water emulsion has a viscosity lower than the viscosity of the formed oil-in-water emulsion of claim 32.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
26 words
The process of claim 35 additionally comprises transporting said mixture comprising said coalesced oil droplet phase and said residual oil-in-water of claim 35 through said pipeline.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
57 words
The process of claim 36 additionally comprising separating oil from said mixture comprising said coalesced oil droplet phase and said residual oil-in-water emulsion after said transporting step and subsequently recycling the remaining portion of said mixture after said oil has been removed back to be admixed with additional emulsifying composition for use in preparing additional oil-in-water emulsion.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
102 words
A process for preparing and burning an oil-in-water emulsion comprising the steps of: (a) agitating a hydrocarbon with an emulsifying composition comprising an aqueous phase and a minor amount of an emulsifying agent to form an oil-in-water emulsion, wherein the emulsifying agent comprises an ethoxylated alkylphenol compound having the general formula: ##STR16## wherein R is a hydrocarbon group and y has an average value greater than 100 and up to about 250 and is representative of the midpoint of a Gaussian distribution of ethylene oxide units coupled by polymerization in formation of the emulsifying agent; and (b) burning the formed oil-in-water emulsion.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
102 words
A process for preparing and burning an oil-in-water emulsion comprising the steps of: (a) agitating a hydrocarbon with an emulsifying composition comprising an aqueous phase and a minor amount of an emulsifying agent to form an oil-in-water emulsion, wherein the emulsifying agent comprises an ethoxylated alkylphenol compound having the general formula: ##STR16## wherein R is a hydrocarbon group and y has an average value greater than 100 and up to about 250 and is representative of the midpoint of a Gaussian distribution of ethylene oxide units coupled by polymerization in formation of the emulsifying agent; and (b) burning the formed oil-in-water emulsion.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
29 words
The process of claim 38 wherein R has the general formula: CH.sub.3 --(CH.sub.2).sub.n -- wherein n is an integer having a value of from about 87 to about 20.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
49 words
The process of claim 38 additionally comprising admixing a freezing point depressant with the emulsifying composition in an amount sufficient to lower the freezing point of the formed oil-in-water emulsion and cause the formed oil-in-water emulsion to remain fluid at a select temperature below the freezing point of water.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
47 words
The process of claim 38 wherein said emulsifying agent additionally comprises a second ethoxylated alkylphenol compound having the general formula: ##STR17## wherein R 2 is a hydrocarbon group and y 2 is an integer representing the average of a Gaussian distribution ranging from about 4 to 250.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
34 words
The process of claim 41 wherein R 2 is a nonyl alkyl group and y 2 is about 40, and the second ethoxylated alkylphenol compound comprises about 50% by wt. of the emulsifying agent.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
100 words
A process for preparing and burning an oil-in-water emulsion comprising (a) agitating a hydrocarbon with an emulsifying composition comprising an aqueous phase and a minor amount of an emulsifying agent to form an oil-in-water emulsion, wherein the emulsifying agent comprises an ethoxylated dialkylphenol compound having the general formula: ##STR18## wherein each R is a hydrocarbon group and y has an average value greater than 100 and up to about 250 and is representative of the midpoint of a Gaussian distribution of ethylene oxide units coupled by polymerization in formation of the emulsifying agent; and (b) burning the formed oil-in-water emulsion.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
100 words
A process for preparing and burning an oil-in-water emulsion comprising (a) agitating a hydrocarbon with an emulsifying composition comprising an aqueous phase and a minor amount of an emulsifying agent to form an oil-in-water emulsion, wherein the emulsifying agent comprises an ethoxylated dialkylphenol compound having the general formula: ##STR18## wherein each R is a hydrocarbon group and y has an average value greater than 100 and up to about 250 and is representative of the midpoint of a Gaussian distribution of ethylene oxide units coupled by polymerization in formation of the emulsifying agent; and (b) burning the formed oil-in-water emulsion.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
30 words
The process of claim 43 wherein each R has the general formula: CH.sub.3 --(CH.sub.2).sub.n -- wherein n is an integer having a value of from about 7 to about 20.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
49 words
The process of claim 43 additionally comprising admixing a freezing point depressant with the emulsifying composition in an amount sufficient to lower the freezing point of the formed oil-in-water emulsion and cause the formed oil-in-water emulsion to remain fluid at a select temperature below the freezing point of water.
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| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1995-10-20 | 1996-04-20 | 1996-10-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1999-10-20 | 2000-04-20 | 2000-10-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
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