Methods are provided to prepare a low sulfur fuel from hydrocarbon sources, such as light tight oil and high sulfur fuel oil, often less desired by conventional refiners, who split crude into a wide range of differing products and may prefer presence of wide ranges (C3 or C5 to C20 or higher) of hydrocarbons. These fuels can be produced by separating feeds into untreated and treated streams, and then recombining them. Such fuels can also be formulated by combinations of light, middle and heavy range constituents in a selected manner as claimed. Not only low in sulfur, the fuels of this invention are also low in nitrogen and essentially metals free. Fuel use applications include on-board large marine transport vessels but also on-shore for large land based combustion gas turbines, boilers, fired heaters and transport vehicles and trains.

This invention relates to compositions and a process for stabilizing or solubilize a phenolic resin containing a mixture of linear phenolic resins and calixarenes. The process comprises contacting the phenolic resin with an epoxide, to at least partially alkoxylate the phenolic hydroxyl groups of the calixarenes. This process forms a stabilized or solubilized phenolic resin with an increased solubility in a hydrocarbon solvent.

Methods are provided to prepare a low sulfur fuel from hydrocarbon sources, such as light tight oil and high sulfur fuel oil, often less desired by conventional refiners, who split crude into a wide range of differing products and may prefer presence of wide ranges (C3 or C5 to C20 or higher) of hydrocarbons. These fuels can be produced by separating feeds into untreated and treated streams, and then recombining them. Such fuels can also be formulated by combinations of light, middle and heavy range constituents in a selected manner as claimed. Not only low in sulfur, the fuels of this invention are also low in nitrogen and essentially metals free. Fuel use applications include on-board large marine transport vessels but also on-shore for large land based combustion gas turbines, boilers, fired heaters and transport vehicles and trains.

Disclosed herein are methods for producing hydrocarbons from a subterranean reservoir that is penetrated by an injection well and a production well. The methods comprise operating the injection well under a set of injection parameters and operating the production well under a set of production parameters to produce a production fluid that has an API gravity that changes over time (ΔAPI) as the method is advanced towards an ultimate recovery factor (RF.sub.o,u) for the reservoir. The methods further comprises modulating the injection parameters, the production parameters, or a combination thereof to decrease or increase the API gravity of the production fluid depending on whether ΔAPI and RF.sub.o,u satisfy a set of requirements as disclosed herein.

Copolymers and compositions containing copolymers having advantageous viscosity, friction reduction, dissolution, pH-stability, and temperature-stability are provided. These copolymers can be used as rheology modifiers for oil field applications.

Systems and methods for crude oil separations including degassing, dewatering, desalting, and stabilization. One method includes separating crude oil into a crude oil off-gas and a partially degassed crude oil output; compressing the crude oil off-gas; applying the compressed crude oil off-gas for indirect heating through reboilers of the partially degassed crude oil output; and directly mixing with the crude oil a compressed atmospheric pressure gas. In some embodiments, multiple reboilers are used. In some embodiments, heat exchangers are used. Aftercoolers are used after the compressor to cool the gas; knockout drums are used after the coolers to separate liquids.

Various techniques are provided in relation to flocculation and/or dewatering of thick fine tailings, with shear conditioning of flocculated tailings material in accordance with a pre-determined shearing parameter, such as the Camp Number. One example method of treating thick fine tailings including dispersing a flocculant into the thick fine tailings to form a flocculating mixture; shearing the flocculating mixture to increase yield stress and produce a flocculated mixture; shear conditioning the flocculated mixture to decrease the yield stress and break down flocs, the shear conditioning being performed in accordance with the pre-determined shearing parameter to produce conditioned flocculated material within a water release zone where release water separates from the conditioned flocculated material. The conditioned flocculated material can then be subjected to dewatering, for example by depositing, thickening or filtering. The design, construction and/or operation of a flocculation pipeline assembly can be facilitated.

Compositions may include those of the formula: (I) wherein R1 is an alkyl chain having a carbon number in the range of greater than 40 to 200, R2 is a multiester, R3 is hydrogen, an ion, or an alkyl chain having a carbon number in the range of 1 to 200, m is an integer selected from 0 to 4, and n is an integer selected from the range of 0 to 4, wherein the sum of m and n is 1 or greater. Compositions may include a reaction product of a polyisobutylene-substituted succinic anhydride and a hydroxy-functional dendrimer, wherein the molar ratio of polyisobutylene-substituted succinic anhydride to hydroxy-functional dendrimer is within the range of 10:1 to 30:1. ##STR00001##

An integrated method for mesophase pitch and petrochemicals production. The method including supplying crude oil to a reactor vessel; heating the crude oil in the reactor vessel to a predetermined temperature for a predetermined amount of time; reducing asphaltene content in the crude oil by allowing polymerization reactions to occur in the reactor vessel at an elevated pressure in the absence of oxygen; producing a three-phase upgraded hydrocarbon product comprising gas, liquid, and solid hydrocarbon components, where the liquid hydrocarbon component comprises deasphalted oil and the solid hydrocarbon component comprises mesophase pitch; separating the gas, liquid, and solid hydrocarbon components; directly utilizing the liquid hydrocarbon component for petrochemicals production; and directly utilizing the solid hydrocarbon component for carbon artifact production.

An aqueous caustic composition comprising: a caustic component; an additive adapted to provide an extended buffering effect to the caustic composition when such is exposed to acid; and water. Methods of using such compositions are also disclosed.