The removal of poisonous metalloids from crude oil is a method of removing naturally occurring arsenic (As), antimony (Sb), and bismuth (Bi) from crude oil before the crude oil is processed through a refinery. The removal of poisonous metalloids from crude oil entails forming an emulsion comprising the crude oil and an inorganic salt or mineral acid solution prepared by recirculation and agitation. The agitation of the emulsion causes arsenic (As), antimony (Sb), and bismuth (Bi) containing compounds to dissolve in the inorganic salt or mineral acid solution. The crude oil is separated from the inorganic salt or mineral acid solution by settling. The treated crude oil has a poisonous metalloid concentration of less than 1 ppm making it acceptable for oil refining operations. Optionally, any inorganic salt or mineral acid solution remaining in the crude oil after separation can be removed using a silica gel dryer.

The removal of poisonous metalloids from crude oil is a method of removing naturally occurring arsenic (As), antimony (Sb), and bismuth (Bi) from crude oil before the crude oil is processed through a refinery. The removal of poisonous metalloids from crude oil entails forming an emulsion comprising the crude oil and an inorganic salt or mineral acid solution prepared by recirculation and agitation. The agitation of the emulsion causes arsenic (As), antimony (Sb), and bismuth (Bi) containing compounds to dissolve in the inorganic salt or mineral acid solution. The crude oil is separated from the inorganic salt or mineral acid solution by settling. The treated crude oil has a poisonous metalloid concentration of less than 1 ppm making it acceptable for oil refining operations. Optionally, any inorganic salt or mineral acid solution remaining in the crude oil after separation can be removed using a silica gel dryer.

A method may include: introducing a fluid comprising a first immiscible phase and a second immiscible phase into a contacting vessel comprising multiple contact stages: flowing the fluid through a first fiber bundle disposed in the contacting vessel; separating at least a portion of the first immiscible phase from the second immiscible phase; and flowing the separated portion of the first immiscible phase through a second fiber bundle disposed in the contacting vessel.

A method may include: introducing a fluid comprising a first immiscible phase and a second immiscible phase into a contacting vessel comprising multiple contact stages: flowing the fluid through a first fiber bundle disposed in the contacting vessel; separating at least a portion of the first immiscible phase from the second immiscible phase; and flowing the separated portion of the first immiscible phase through a second fiber bundle disposed in the contacting vessel.

A process for removing metals in a petroleum oil material. The process comprises causing the petroleum oil material to react with a removing agent which comprises a phosphoric acid ester. A microwave irradiation environment was created during the reaction to provide the required energy essential for separating such contaminations from the oil chemical network. The process of the invention is applied at ambient pressure and low temperature compared to the conventional metal removal processes. The process of the invention can be readily scaled up and integrated into an industrial facility.

A process for removing metals in a petroleum oil material. The process comprises causing the petroleum oil material to react with a removing agent which comprises a phosphoric acid ester. A microwave irradiation environment was created during the reaction to provide the required energy essential for separating such contaminations from the oil chemical network. The process of the invention is applied at ambient pressure and low temperature compared to the conventional metal removal processes. The process of the invention can be readily scaled up and integrated into an industrial facility.

It has been discovered that contaminants such as metals and/or amines can be transferred from a hydrocarbon phase to a water phase in an emulsion breaking process by using a composition that contains water-soluble C5-C12 polyhydroxy carboxylic acids, ammonium salts thereof, alkali metal salts thereof, and mixtures of all of these. The composition may also optionally include a mineral acid to reduce the pH of the desalter wash water. The method permits transfer of metals and/or amines into the aqueous phase with little or no hydrocarbon phase undercarry into the aqueous phase. Resolving the emulsion into the hydrocarbon phase and the aqueous phase occurs in a refinery desalting process using electrostatic coalescence. The composition is particularly useful in treating crude oil emulsions, and in removing calcium and other metals therefrom. The polyhydroxy carboxylic acid additionally inhibits metal corrosion of metal pipe or other equipment used in a crude unit.

In an aspect, a method is disclosed that includes contacting a composition with an aqueous solution to yield a mixture, where the composition includes one or more of animal fats, animal oils, plant fats, plant oils, vegetable fats, vegetable oils, greases, and used cooking oil, about 5 wt. % or more of free fatty acids, about 10 wppm or more of total metals, about 8 wppm or more phosphorus, about 20 wppm or more of nitrogen, and the aqueous solution includes ((NH.sub.4).sub.2H.sub.2EDTA, (NH.sub.4).sub.4EDTA, a monoammonium salt of diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid, a diammonium salt of diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid, a triammonium salt of diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid, a tetraammonium salt of diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid, (NH.sub.4).sub.5DTPA, a combination of citric acid and Na.sub.4EDTA, a combination of citric acid and Na.sub.2H.sub.2EDTA, a combination of citric acid and a monosodium salt of diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid, a combination of citric acid and a disodium salt of diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid, a combination of citric acid and a trisodium salt of diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid, a combination of citric acid and a tetrasodium salt of diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid, a combination of citric acid and Na.sub.5DTPA, or a combination of any two or more thereof, where the method further includes centrifuging the mixture to yield a first treated composition, wherein the first treated composition has less total metals and less phosphorus than the composition.

In an aspect, a method is disclosed that includes contacting a composition with an aqueous solution to yield a mixture, where the composition includes one or more of animal fats, animal oils, plant fats, plant oils, vegetable fats, vegetable oils, greases, and used cooking oil, about 5 wt. % or more of free fatty acids, about 10 wppm or more of total metals, about 8 wppm or more phosphorus, about 20 wppm or more of nitrogen, and the aqueous solution includes ((NH.sub.4).sub.2H.sub.2EDTA, (NH.sub.4).sub.4EDTA, a monoammonium salt of diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid, a diammonium salt of diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid, a triammonium salt of diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid, a tetraammonium salt of diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid, (NH.sub.4).sub.5DTPA, a combination of citric acid and Na.sub.4EDTA, a combination of citric acid and Na.sub.2H.sub.2EDTA, a combination of citric acid and a monosodium salt of diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid, a combination of citric acid and a disodium salt of diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid, a combination of citric acid and a trisodium salt of diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid, a combination of citric acid and a tetrasodium salt of diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid, a combination of citric acid and Na.sub.5DTPA, or a combination of any two or more thereof, where the method further includes centrifuging the mixture to yield a first treated composition, wherein the first treated composition has less total metals and less phosphorus than the composition.

A method may include: introducing a fluid comprising a first immiscible phase and a second immiscible phase into a contacting vessel comprising multiple contact stages: flowing the fluid through a first fiber bundle disposed in the contacting vessel; separating at least a portion of the first immiscible phase from the second immiscible phase; and flowing the separated portion of the first immiscible phase through a second fiber bundle disposed in the contacting vessel.