The invention provides a method for enriching diluents with butane so as not to violate pre-defined limits for liquid hydrocarbon fuels with respect to density, volatility and low density hydrocarbon content.

Disulfide oil (DSO) compounds recovered as a by-product of the mercaptan oxidation of a hydrocarbon refinery feedstock and their oxidized derivatives, oxidized disulfide oils (ODSO) are effective as a diluent to lower the viscosity and thereby improve the pipeline transportation properties of heavy oils, and particularly of wellhead crude oil. The use of the DSO and/or ODSO compounds as diluents converts an otherwise extremely low value or waste oil product into a valuable commodity that has utility in improving the transportation properties of heavy oils, particularly in oil field pipeline applications.

Disulfide oil (DSO) compounds recovered as a by-product of the mercaptan oxidation of a hydrocarbon refinery feedstock and their oxidized derivatives, oxidized disulfide oils (ODSO) are effective as a diluent to lower the viscosity and thereby improve the pipeline transportation properties of heavy oils, and particularly of wellhead crude oil. The use of the DSO and/or ODSO compounds as diluents converts an otherwise extremely low value or waste oil product into a valuable commodity that has utility in improving the transportation properties of heavy oils, particularly in oil field pipeline applications.

A polymer composition has been developed that provides low viscosity oil-in-water polymer emulsions that release the polymer in the emulsion at a faster rate and without an additional surfactant when the emulsion is added to a hydrocarbon stream. Use of a temperature-sensitive emulsifying surfactant facilitates inversion of the oil-in-water polymer emulsion when applied to a hydrocarbon composition at a temperature sufficiently high to destabilize the emulsion. These compositions are particularly useful as drag reducers for delivery to a subsea flowline via an umbilical line.

The process begins by obtaining a first batch of monomers selected from a group of acrylates with a molecular weight equal to or less than butyl acrylate and/or methacrylate with a molecular weight equal to or less than butyl methacrylate. A second batch of monomers is then selected from a group of acrylates with a molecular weight greater than butyl acrylate and/or methacrylate with a molecular weight greater than butyl methacrylate. A mixture is then prepared by mixing the first batch of monomers and the second batch of monomers, wherein the second batch of monomers are greater than 50% by weight of the mixture. Finally, the mixture is polymerized to produce a drag reducing polymer. The drag reducing polymer is capable of imparting drag reducing properties in liquid hydrocarbons.

The process begins by obtaining a first batch of monomers selected from a group of acrylates with a molecular weight equal to or less than butyl acrylate and/or methacrylate with a molecular weight equal to or less than butyl methacrylate. A second batch of monomers is then selected from a group of acrylates with a molecular weight greater than butyl acrylate and/or methacrylate with a molecular weight greater than butyl methacrylate. A mixture is then prepared by mixing the first batch of monomers and the second batch of monomers, wherein the second batch of monomers are greater than 50% by weight of the mixture. Finally, the mixture is polymerized to produce a drag reducing polymer. The drag reducing polymer is capable of imparting drag reducing properties in liquid hydrocarbons.

Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to a drag reducing suspension capable of dissolving in cold hydrocarbon fluids at usage level. In one embodiment, the drag reducing composition comprises a drag reducing polymer, a partitioning agent comprises a one or more of a coal-tar resin, a C5 aliphatic petroleum resin, a C9 aromatic petroleum resin, C5/C9 aliphatic/aromatic petroleum resin, a cycloaliphatic diene-based petroleum resin, a pure monomer resin, a terpene resin, a terpene phenol resin, a styrenated terpene resin, a rosin resin, a rosin resin derivative, one or more of an alkylphenol resin, a modified alkylphenol resin, and fully or partially hydrogenated form thereof, and suspending fluid medium. The partitioning agent has a good solubility (greater than 8 ppm) in a hydrocarbon stream, such as in a cold refined hydrocarbon stream, for example a diesel stream at a temperature of 0 C. or less.

Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to a drag reducing suspension capable of dissolving in cold hydrocarbon fluids at usage level. In one embodiment, the drag reducing composition comprises a drag reducing polymer, a partitioning agent comprises a one or more of a coal-tar resin, a C5 aliphatic petroleum resin, a C9 aromatic petroleum resin, C5/C9 aliphatic/aromatic petroleum resin, a cycloaliphatic diene-based petroleum resin, a pure monomer resin, a terpene resin, a terpene phenol resin, a styrenated terpene resin, a rosin resin, a rosin resin derivative, one or more of an alkylphenol resin, a modified alkylphenol resin, and fully or partially hydrogenated form thereof, and suspending fluid medium. The partitioning agent has a good solubility (greater than 8 ppm) in a hydrocarbon stream, such as in a cold refined hydrocarbon stream, for example a diesel stream at a temperature of 0 C. or less.

A method of forming a drag reducing polymer formulation. The method begins by forming a drag reducing polymer. A hydrocarbon additive is then incorporated with the drag reducing polymer to form a drag reducing polymer formulation. The drag reducing polymer formulation is then used as a drag reducer in hydrocarbon pipelines.

Described herein are associative polymers capable of controlling a physical and/or chemical property of non-polar compositions and related compositions, methods and systems. Associative polymers herein described have a non-polar backbone and functional groups presented at ends of the non-polar backbone, with a number of the functional groups presented at the ends of the non-polar backbone formed by associative functional groups capable of undergoing an associative interaction with another associative functional group with an association constant (k) such that the strength of each associative interaction is less than the strength of a covalent bond between atoms and in particular less than the strength of a covalent bond between backbone atoms.