Methods and compositions for flocculating solids are provided. The solids may be suspended in an organic liquid medium and a water in oil emulsion may be added to the liquid medium. The water in oil emulsion includes an emulsion polymer capable of flocculating the solids suspended in the organic liquid medium. The emulsion polymer may be added to the organic liquid medium in an inactive form and the polymer may subsequently become activated upon contacting the organic liquid medium. Once activated, the polymer may flocculate the suspended solids.

Methods and compositions for flocculating solids are provided. The solids may be suspended in an organic liquid medium and a water in oil emulsion may be added to the liquid medium. The water in oil emulsion includes an emulsion polymer capable of flocculating the solids suspended in the organic liquid medium. The emulsion polymer may be added to the organic liquid medium in an inactive form and the polymer may subsequently become activated upon contacting the organic liquid medium. Once activated, the polymer may flocculate the suspended solids.

The present invention generally relates to compositions and methods for scavenging hydrogen sulfide and/or mercaptans from fluids. More particularly, the invention relates to the use of compositions comprising a surfactant and the reaction product between a polyamine and a formaldehyde as a hydrogen sulfide or a mercaptan scavenger for hydrocarbon-containing fluids, particularly for natural gas, crude oil, field oil, fuel oil, naphtha, gasoline, kerosene, diesel, slurry oil, gas oil, resid, refinery gas, coal gas, tar, asphalt, coke gas, ammonia synthesis gas, gas from an industrial gas stream, or a sulfurization plant.

The present invention generally relates to compositions and methods for scavenging hydrogen sulfide and/or mercaptans from fluids. More particularly, the invention relates to the use of compositions comprising a surfactant and the reaction product between a polyamine and a formaldehyde as a hydrogen sulfide or a mercaptan scavenger for hydrocarbon-containing fluids, particularly for natural gas, crude oil, field oil, fuel oil, naphtha, gasoline, kerosene, diesel, slurry oil, gas oil, resid, refinery gas, coal gas, tar, asphalt, coke gas, ammonia synthesis gas, gas from an industrial gas stream, or a sulfurization plant.

The invention provides a process to purify a gas stream by using an adsorbent bed and a secondary device to remove heavy hydrocarbons with a recycle stream then sent first to a vessel containing an amine solvent to remove acid gases including carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide and then in most embodiments of the invention sending the treated gas stream to a dehydration unit such as an adsorbent bed or to a triethylene glycol absorbent to remove water. The invention further provides improved integration of the process streams to allow for smaller amine solvent and dehydration units as compared to the prior art.

The invention provides a process to purify a gas stream by using an adsorbent bed and a secondary device to remove heavy hydrocarbons with a recycle stream then sent first to a vessel containing an amine solvent to remove acid gases including carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide and then in most embodiments of the invention sending the treated gas stream to a dehydration unit such as an adsorbent bed or to a triethylene glycol absorbent to remove water. The invention further provides improved integration of the process streams to allow for smaller amine solvent and dehydration units as compared to the prior art.

An extraction solvent comprised of one or more ethyleneamines having structure (I), (II), or (III): ##STR00001##
where R.sub.1-R.sub.6 can independently be H, C.sub.1-C.sub.4 linear or branched alkyl, amido (RRNC═O), or hydroxyalkyl, where each R in the amido group independently H or C.sub.1 alkyl, and where x ranges from 1 to 6, may be contacted with a hydrocarbon stream to remove or extract non-acidic contaminants, such as thiophenes, benzothiophenes, alkyl sulfides, alkyl disulfides, mercaptans, aromatics, oxygenates, metals, olefins, and combinations thereof, from the hydrocarbon stream. The extraction solvent may include co-solvents and the hydrocarbon stream may be in gas and/or liquid form.

An extraction solvent comprised of one or more ethyleneamines having structure (I), (II), or (III): ##STR00001##
where R.sub.1-R.sub.6 can independently be H, C.sub.1-C.sub.4 linear or branched alkyl, amido (RRNC═O), or hydroxyalkyl, where each R in the amido group independently H or C.sub.1 alkyl, and where x ranges from 1 to 6, may be contacted with a hydrocarbon stream to remove or extract non-acidic contaminants, such as thiophenes, benzothiophenes, alkyl sulfides, alkyl disulfides, mercaptans, aromatics, oxygenates, metals, olefins, and combinations thereof, from the hydrocarbon stream. The extraction solvent may include co-solvents and the hydrocarbon stream may be in gas and/or liquid form.

Treatment of hydrocarbon streams, and in one non-limiting embodiment refinery distillates, with high pH aqueous reducing agents, such as borohydride, results in reduction of the sulfur compounds such as disulfides, mercaptans and thioethers that are present to give easily removed sulfides. The treatment converts the original sulfur compounds into hydrogen sulfide or low molecular weight mercaptans that can be extracted from the distillate with caustic solutions, hydrogen sulfide or mercaptan scavengers, solid absorbents such as clay or activated carbon or liquid absorbents such as amine-aldehyde condensates and/or aqueous aldehydes.

A process has been developed in which some of the sulfur in a naphtha feed is removed using ionic liquids. The ionic liquid desulfurization step, which operates at low temperatures and pressures, is followed by a catalytic hydrodesulfurizaton step.