TREATMENT COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS OF USING SAME FOR REMEDIATING MERCAPTANS AND SULFUR COMPOUNDS IN HYDROCARBON LIQUIDS

Abstract

A liquid treatment composition for remediating and removing mercaptans, H.sub.2S and other sulfur based contaminants from contaminated hydrocarbon liquids, the treatment composition consisting essentially of a carrier solvent and at least one alkoxide compound. The liquid treatment composition may contain no terpene. Further, the liquid treatment composition may include water. The at least one alkoxide compound includes at least one of sodium methoxide and sodium ethoxide.

Claims

1. A liquid treatment composition for remediating and removing mercaptans, H.sub.2S and other sulfur based contaminants from contaminated hydrocarbon liquids, the treatment composition consisting essentially of: a carrier solvent; and at least one alkoxide compound.

2. The liquid treatment composition according to claim 1 contains no terpene.

3. The liquid treatment composition according to claim 1, further comprising water.

4. The liquid treatment composition according to claim 1, wherein the at least one alkoxide compound includes at least one of sodium methoxide and sodium ethoxide.

5. The liquid treatment composition according to claim 1, wherein a collective content of the at least one alkoxide compound in the liquid treatment composition is in a range of 1-20 wt %, the carrier solvent includes at least one organic liquid, and a content of the at least one organic liquid in the treatment solution is 50-90 vol %.

6. The liquid treatment composition according to claim 1, wherein the carrier solvent includes at least one organic liquid, and the at least one organic liquid includes at least one of methanol, ethanol and 1-propanol and one of N,n-dimethylformamide (HCON(CH.sub.3).sub.2), dimethylacetamide (CH.sub.3CN(CH.sub.3).sub.2, acetonitrile.

7. The liquid treatment composition according to claim 1, wherein the carrier solvent is methanol; and the at least one alkoxide compound is sodium methoxide.

8. A treatment process for remediating and/or removing mercaptans, H.sub.2S, other sulfur based contaminants and other contaminants from contaminated hydrocarbon liquids, comprising steps of: adding the liquid treatment composition of claim 1 to a contaminated hydrocarbon liquid being treated at a dosage rate of 1 to 20000 parts per million (ppm) of the treatment composition/volume unit of the contaminated hydrocarbon liquid being treated; and allowing the treatment composition and the contaminated hydrocarbon liquid to react.

9. The treatment process according to claim 8, wherein step of allowing the treatment composition and the contaminated hydrocarbon liquid to react lasts for at least 15 minutes.

10. The treatment process according to claim 8, wherein the contaminated hydrocarbon liquid is crude oil, a distillate of crude oil or condensate(s) from natural gas.

11. The treatment process according to claim 8, wherein the other contaminants include sulfur, iron and nickel.

12. A liquid treatment composition for remediating and removing mercaptans, H.sub.2S, other sulfur based contaminants and other contaminants from contaminated hydrocarbon liquids, the treatment composition consisting essentially of: a carrier solvent liquid; at least one alkoxide compound; water; and no terpene.

13. The liquid treatment composition according to claim 12, wherein the at least one alkoxide compound includes at least one of sodium methoxide and sodium ethoxide.

14. The liquid treatment composition according to claim 12, wherein the carrier solvent includes at least one organic liquid, and the at least one organic liquid includes at least one of methanol, ethanol and 1-propanol and one of N,n-dimethylformamide (HCON(CH.sub.3).sub.2), dimethylacetamide (CH.sub.3CN(CH.sub.3).sub.2, acetonitrile.

15. The liquid treatment composition according to claim 12, wherein the hydrocarbon liquid includes one of methanol, ethanol and 1-propanol.

16. A treatment process for remediating and removing mercaptans, H.sub.2S, other sulfur based contaminants and other contaminants from contaminated hydrocarbon liquids, comprising steps of: adding the liquid treatment composition of claim 12 to a contaminated hydrocarbon liquid being treated at a dosage rate of 1 to 20,000 parts per million (ppm) of the treatment composition/volume unit of the contaminated hydrocarbon liquid being treated; and allowing the treatment composition and the contaminated hydrocarbon liquid to react.

17. The treatment process according to claim 12, wherein the contaminated hydrocarbon liquid is crude oil, a distillate of crude oil or condensate(s) from natural gas.

18. A treatment process for remediating and removing mercaptans, H.sub.2S, other sulfur based contaminants and other contaminants from contaminated hydrocarbon liquids, comprising steps of: dissolving an alkoxide in a contaminated hydrocarbon liquid at a dosage of at least 0.1% wt/vol; and allowing the alkoxide to react with the contaminated hydrocarbon liquid.

19. The treatment process according to claim 18, wherein the dosage of the alkoxide dissolved in the contaminated hydrocarbon liquid is in a range of 0.1 to 3% wt//vol.

20. The treatment process according to claim 19, wherein the alkoxide includes at least one of potassium tert-butoxide (KOtBu) an sodium methylate (NaOMe).

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PRESENT EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

[0022] In the following, details of new treatment solutions and treatment processes involving use of the of new treatment solutions according to exemplary embodiments of the present invention are presented, as well as specific examples of contaminated liquids that are treated using the new treatment solutions and processes.

First Embodiment

[0023] According to a first aspect and embodiment of the present invention there is provided a new liquid based treatment composition, which includes little or no water, and is effective at efficiently remediating the mercaptans and other contaminants, including hydrogen sulfide and other sulfur based contaminants, in liquids such as crude oil and fractions of other liquids obtained through distillation of crude oil. The new liquid treatment composition primarily includes at least one organic or hydrocarbon liquid as a base, together with one or more hydroxide compounds, at optionally least one terpene. The treatment composition may include smaller amounts of an organic acid such as fulvic acid and humic acid, and/or a chelating agent such as ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA). The treatment composition may also include some water, but preferably contains little or no water. A treatment process involving the new liquid treatment composition may simply involve adding an appropriate dosage of the new treatment composition per unit of the contaminated liquid being treated, e.g., 5 to 20,000 ppm of treatment composition/liter or other amount of contaminated liquid being treated, with the specific dosage amount based on the type of contaminated liquid being treated and the types and amounts of mercaptans and other contaminants in the contaminated liquid which are to be remediated. Distillates of crude oil not only have lower viscosity than the crude oil, but any mercaptans in the distillates will typically be lower molecular weight mercaptans. Correspondingly, dosage rates for treating distillates will generally be lower than the dosage rates for treating crude oil.

[0024] Hydroxides including sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and potassium hydroxide (KOH) are strong bases that can deprotonate the hydrogen atoms attached to sulfur in mercaptans (thiols). This forms water-soluble salts, known as mercaptides. Organic solvents including alcohols such as methanol, ethanol and 1-propanol, which can be used as the organic or hydrocarbon liquid base of the new treatment composition, can extract the water-soluble mercaptides formed in the reaction between the mercaptans and hydroxides. These alcohols can dissolve the mercaptides and separate them from the crude oil. The terpenes in the treatment composition interact with the remaining odor compounds in the contaminated hydrocarbon based liquids.

[0025] A wide variety of polar and non-polar hydrocarbon based liquids may be used in the new treatment compositions, including relatively low molecular weight liquid(s) including alcohols, hexane, and others, as well as mixtures of these liquids, provided that the hydroxide compound(s) and any other components to be included in the treatment compositions may be fully dissolved or dispersed into the hydrocarbon based liquids. Alcohols are appropriate for use as the hydrocarbon liquids because they are polar so that other components of the treatment composition(s) are generally dissolvable and/or miscible therein. Lighter alcohols, including methanol (CH.sub.3OH), ethanol (C.sub.2H.sub.5OH), and 1-propyl alcohol (C.sub.3H.sub.8O), may be more appropriate based on lower cost and/or higher vapor pressure. N,n-dimethylformamide (HCON(CH.sub.3).sub.2) and dimethylacetamide (CH.sub.3CN(CH.sub.3).sub.2 and other similar organic liquids are also appropriate as the hydrocarbon liquids used in the treatment compositions according to the present invention. The organic solvent may also include acetonitrile, but typically this will be used in combination with at least one other organic carrier solvent, e.g., 0.1 to 3% wt/vol. of the acetonitrile for the entire liquid treatment composition.

[0026] The inventors has determined through experimentation that different organic liquid bases may help achieve the best remediation results depending on the particular contaminated liquid is being treated and the particular types and amounts of mercaptans and other contaminants are contained in contaminated liquid. The inventors have also determined that a mixture of organic liquids as a base of the treatment composition, e.g., a blend containing amounts of both methanol and ethanol, may provide a more efficient remediation of the mercaptans in a given contaminated liquid, noting that a mixture of hydrocarbon base liquids capitalizes on the speciation variances among the mercaptan/thiol contaminants to be remediated. For example if a crude oil contains a significant amount of ethyl thiols, in such cases inclusion of ethanol as well as methanol in the organic liquid base of the treatment composition introduces supplementary reaction pathways for mercaptan conversion.

[0027] Also, these organic liquids have relatively high vapor pressures, which is desirable because more of the reactive hydroxide compound(s) may be contained in the vapors released from the liquids being treated compared to liquids having lower vapor pressures. The vapors of the organic liquid bases will contain some of the hydroxide compound(s) in the treatment composition, and the hydroxides in the vapors can better react with gaseous contaminants including H.sub.2S and CO.sub.2 which may be released from the crude oil or other liquids being treated, and may collect in a head space of a container in which the crude oil is disposed. The new treatment composition is effective for remediating mercaptans in hydrocarbon based liquids at standard temperature and pressure, but the remediation reaction(s) can be performed at elevated temperatures and will typically proceed more quickly at elevated temperatures.

[0028] There are many different terpenes that can be used in the treatment compositions of the present invention. These include limonene (C.sub.10H.sub.16) which comes in different forms, e.g., R-Limonene/d-Limonene, r-carvone, linalool, citronella, myrcene, menthol, geraniol, pinene, linalool, and artemisinin-a, which is a terpene peroxide. The treatment composition according to the present invention may use any of the different terpenes or mixtures of the terpenes, as well as different forms of some terpenes, e.g., r-limonene and d-limonene, but some terpenes are less expensive than others, and if used can lower costs of the treatment process. The reaction between the terpenes and mercaptans in crude oil involves the oxidation of the mercaptans by the terpenes' functional groups, e.g., the double bonds, which may lead to the formation of various products, including disulfides and other sulfur containing compounds. The specific reaction products and mechanisms can vary depending on the conditions, such as temperature, pressure, presence of catalysts, and the composition of the crude oil, including the different contaminants and amounts of the different contaminants in the crude oil.

[0029] Generally, all hydroxide compounds may be used provided they can be dissolved or dispersed in the hydrocarbon liquid(s) of the new treatment composition. Some typical hydroxide compounds that may be used in the new treatment compositions include sodium hydroxide (NaOH), potassium hydroxide (KOH), lithium hydroxide (LiOH), magnesium hydroxide (Mg(OH).sub.2), manganese hydroxide (Mn(OH).sub.2, Mn(OH).sub.4) and ammonium hydroxide (NH.sub.4OH). However, some hydroxide compounds have lower cost, e.g., NaOH and KOH, and if used may make the composition and treatment processes using the composition more economically advantageous. Sodium hydroxide is typically more effective for remediating mercaptans in comparison to potassium hydroxide. However, if the treatment composition is to be used with fluids such as crude oil which include significant amounts of NaCl, which will typically be dissolved in any water included in the fluids, it may be desirable to use little or no NaOH to help prevent causing any salt to precipitate out of the treated fluids.

[0030] Although the new treatment composition according to the first embodiment of the present invention preferably includes little or no water, if there is any water in the treatment composition it may be used as a medium into which the hydroxide compound(s), the organic acid(s) and the chelating agent may be initially dissolved before being added to the organic solvent base. It is desirable that all components of the new treatment composition apart from the hydrocarbon base liquid should be dissolvable, dispersible and/or miscible in the hydrocarbon base liquid.

[0031] The new treatment composition according to the first aspect and embodiment of the present invention may contain: 50-90 vol % of organic solvent base, which may include one or more alcohol and/or other polar and non-polar organic liquids as discussed herein; 1-15 wt % collectively of one or more hydroxide compound; and optionally 5-15 vol % of one or more terpenes. The treatment composition may also include 0.01 to 2.0 wt % collectively of organic acids such as fulvic acid and humic acid; and/or 0.1 to 2.0 weight % of a chelating agent such as ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA). The treatment composition may contain some water, e.g., 15 vol %, but preferably contains little or no water. The organic acids such as fulvic acid and humic acid are helpful to prevent precipitates from being released from the treated liquids, which is desirable to avoid blockages of the treatment system. The chelating agent such as EDTA is helpful to enhance the reaction between the hydroxide compound(s) and the mercaptans in the contaminated liquids such as crude oil and distillation fractions of crude oil.

[0032] In one example of a treatment process according to the first aspect and embodiment of the present invention, a crude oil sample having a relatively high mercaptans content was treated with a treatment composition according to the present invention as follows. The crude oil sample was obtained from a well in Texas and its mercaptans content was determined using UOP 163, a testing method used to determine the content of RSH and H.sub.2S in hydrocarbons by potentiometric titration. The sample was homogenized then titrated for the neat sample content of RSH, 820.969 ppm, and H.sub.2S content of 37.508 ppm. RHS is a measure of total mercaptans content. The treatment composition used in this example contained 60 vol % of methanol 10 vol % of 1-propanol, 10 vol % of an aqueous solution containing about 50 wt % of NaOH, 10 vol % of an aqueous solution containing about 45 wt % of KOH, 9 volume % of a mixture of r-limonene/d-limonene; and 1 vol % of an aqueous solution containing about 4 wt % of fulvic acid. The sample was treated at a dosing rate which achieved 2,000 ppm treatment composition in the contaminated crude oil. After the treatment composition was mixed into the crude oil for thirty (30) minutes the mercaptans content of the crude oil was reduced by 52%. The treated sample was allowed to continue reacting for eighty (80) hours after initial dosing and at that point the total content of mercaptans had been reduced by a total of 95% (down to 35.968 ppm).

[0033] Six other examples of the treatment process according to the first aspect and embodiment of the present invention were conducted by the inventors. In these other examples other crude oil samples Source A to Source F also having a relatively high mercaptans content were treated with the same exemplary treatment composition and at the same dosage rate (2000 ppm) as discussed in the example above. The results of the other examples are set forth in the tables and charts below.

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 ORIGINAL COMPOSITIONS OF TEST SAMPLES Sulfur Mercaptans Density API Sample (%) (mg/kg) (g/cm.sup.3) Gravity A 0.3259 820.969 08034 44.06 B 0.1936 205.200 0.8144 41.73 C 0.1615 188.740 0.8147 41.71 D 0.2962 315.563 0.8137 41.92 E 0.1243 191.156 0.8070 43.31 F 378.338

TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 MERCAPTANS REMOVAL TREATMENT RESULTS (mercaptans values in mg/kg) Treatment Time Sample Time .fwdarw. start 30 min 60 min 100 min 145 min 72 hr 80 hr A mercaptan: 820.969 393.757 329.384 280.557 222.781 76.701 35.968 reduction: n/a 52.04% 59.87% 65.83% 72.85% 90.66% 95.62% B mercaptan: 205.200 70.962 56.527 reduction: n/a 65.41% 72.45% C mercaptan: 188.740 92.921 64.703 reduction: n/a 50.77% 65.72% D mercaptan: 315.563 141.007 84.692 reduction: n/a 55.32% 73.16% E mercaptan: 191.156 41.164 32.653 reduction: n/a 78.47% 82.92% F mercaptan: 378.338 131.491 reduction: n/a 65.25%

TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 ORIGINAL COMPOSITIONS OF TEST SAMPLES Sulfur Mercaptans Density API Sample (ppm) (ppm) (g/cm.sup.3) Gravity A 3259 821 08034 44.1 B 1936 205 0.8144 41.7 C 1615 189 0.8147 41.7 D 2962 316 0.8137 41.9 E 1243 191 0.8070 43.3 F 378

TABLE-US-00004 TABLE 4 MERCAPTANS REMOVAL TREATMENT RESULTS (mercaptans values in ppm) Treatment Time Sample Time .fwdarw. start 30 min 60 min 100 min 145 min 72 hr 80 hr A mercaptan: 821 394 329 281 223 77 36 reduction: n/a 52% 60% 66% 73% 91% 96% B mercaptan: 205 71 57 reduction: n/a 65% 72% C mercaptan: 189 93 65 reduction: n/a 51% 66% D mercaptan: 316 141 85 reduction: n/a 55% 73% E mercaptan: 191 41 33 reduction: n/a 79% 83% F mercaptan: 378 131 reduction: n/a 65%

[0034] It is important to note that the actual behavior of the reactions involved in the treatment process will depend on the specific conditions, concentrations, and properties of the compounds involved. Continuous monitoring and testing would be necessary to understand the rate of mercaptan reduction and the stability of the reaction over time. Although the inventors is not entirely certain why, the continued reduction of mercaptans over time in the above examples could be due to several factors, including the following: [0035] Equilibrium Reaction: The reaction between sodium hydroxide, alcohols (methanol and 1-propanol), and mercaptans might be an equilibrium reaction. As the reaction proceeds and products are formed, the equilibrium might not be reached immediately. This could lead to the reaction continuing until equilibrium is established; [0036] Extraction: The alcohols (methanol and 1-propanol) act as solvents to extract mercaptides (the products of mercaptan reaction with sodium hydroxide) from the crude oil. As long as there are mercaptans present in the crude oil, the extraction process can continue, leading to a gradual reduction of mercaptans over time; [0037] Sustained Base Reaction: NaOH and KOH are strong bases that react with mercaptans, and if there remains any amount of mercaptans in the crude oil, the reaction with these hydroxides can continue, leading to ongoing reduction of mercaptans; [0038] Catalytic Effects: Some components in the mixture, such as the terpenes (limonene), could potentially have catalytic effects on the reaction, whereby they might enhance the interaction between sodium hydroxide, alcohols, and mercaptans, leading to a prolonged reduction of mercaptans; and [0039] Slow Kinetics: The kinetics of chemical reactions can vary, and if the reaction between the components is relatively slow, it might take time for the reaction to complete and for mercaptans to be fully reduced.

Second Embodiment

[0040] According to a second aspect and embodiment of the present invention, there is provided another new liquid based treatment composition which is somewhat different from the liquid composition and according to the first aspect and embodiment of the present invention, but also very effective at remediating mercaptans, and other contaminants, including hydrogen sulfide, sulfur and metals, in liquids including crude oil and distillates of crude oil. This new liquid based treatment composition also uses an organic or hydrocarbon liquid base and terpene(s) as components and is also very effective at efficiently remediating the mercaptans in liquids such as crude oil and fractions of other liquids obtained through distillation of crude oil similar to the treatment composition according to the first aspect of the present invention. A primary difference between this new treatment composition according to the second embodiment and the treatment composition according to the first embodiment is the use of at least one alkoxide rather than at least one hydroxide compound as the primary reactant for remediating the mercaptans and other targeted contaminants in contaminated liquids such as crude oil and distillates of crude oil. Some appropriate alkoxides include sodium methoxide (CH.sub.3NaO), sodium ethoxide (C.sub.2H.sub.5ONa), potassium methoxide (CH.sub.3KO), potassium ethoxide (C.sub.2H.sub.5 C.sub.2H.sub.5KO), etc., and combinations of two or more of these alkoxides.

[0041] The new liquid treatment composition according to the second aspect and embodiment of the present invention primarily includes at least one organic liquid as a base, together with one or more alkoxide compounds, and optionally at least one terpene. The liquids used as the hydrocarbon liquid base and as the terpene(s) in the treatment composition may be the same as discussed herein in relation to the treatment composition according to the first aspect and embodiment of the present invention, while the alkoxide(s) may be as discussed above.

[0042] This treatment composition includes little or no water, e.g., <5 vol % and preferably no water, noting that water may react with sodium methoxide and other alkoxides thereby detracting from the reaction between the alkoxides and mercaptans, and may cause some contaminants including salts to precipitate out of the contaminated liquid being treated. Otherwise, it is generally undesirable to have any significant amount of water in crude oil and distillates of crude oil. In this treatment composition according to the second aspect and embodiment of the present invention the alkoxide compounds may be directly dissolved in the hydrocarbon liquid base, which is advantageous as the composition preferably includes no water.

[0043] The new treatment composition according to the second aspect and embodiment may contain: 50-90 vol % or wt % of organic liquid base; 1-20 wt % collectively of one or more alkoxide compound; and optionally 5-25 vol % collectively of one or more terpene. The treatment composition according to the second aspect of the present invention may also include a small amount of an organic acid such as fulvic acid and humic acid, e.g., 0.01 to 2.0 wt % collectively, which may help to prevent release of any precipitates from the treated liquid.

[0044] The inventors have determined that in comparison to hydroxide compounds, alkoxides exhibit superior efficacy in mitigating thiol mercaptans in crude oil and petroleum due to their heightened reactivity and specificity towards mercaptans, resulting in the formation of water soluble sodium salts. For example, if sodium methoxide is used in this new treatment composition, the sodium methoxide reacts with mercaptans in crude oil to form sodium methyl mercaptide (CH.sub.3SNa), a water-soluble sodium salt, as a byproduct, while other alkoxides react with various mercaptans to form other mercaptides. This reaction involves the substitution of the hydrogen atom in the thiol molecule with a sodium atom from the sodium methoxide. Sodium mercaptide, is soluble in water due to the presence of the sodium ion, which has a strong affinity for water molecules. The inventors have achieved very good results in experiments where the treatment composition primarily includes sodium alkoxide dissolved in methanol, or sodium methylate.

[0045] Although the new treatment composition according to the second aspect and embodiment of the present invention preferably includes no water, contaminated liquids being treated such as crude oil may contain some water, e.g., 1 vol %, and the water in the crude oil may contain the sodium mercaptides formed by the reaction of the treatment composition and the mercaptans in the crude oil, so that the mercaptides do not precipitate out of the treated crude oil. Due to their solubility in water, sodium mercaptide and other mercaptides are also easily separable from any hydrocarbon liquid being treated, such as crude oil and distillates of crude oil. Additionally, the treatment composition according to the second aspect and embodiment of the present invention is also effective at reducing H.sub.2S, other sulfur based contaminants, total sulfur, oxygenates and some metals, including iron and nickel, from the contaminated liquids being treated with the composition.

[0046] The inventors have also determined that while a range of alkoxide concentrations are appropriate for use in the treatment composition according to the second aspect of the present invention, higher concentrations of the alkoxides within the discussed range may provide better results. For example, a treatment composition including 80 vol % methanol and 10 vol % 1-propanol base having sodium methoxide dissolved in the base liquid at a concentration of 35% w/v, and 10 vol % of limonene demonstrates enhanced efficacy in mitigating thiols within crude oil compared to the same treatment composition using treatment compositions with lower concentrations of sodium methoxide, such as 15% or 20% w//v in the hydrocarbon base liquid. This higher concentration facilitates a more robust reaction with mercaptans leading to improved removal efficiency and overall performance.

[0047] A treatment process using the new liquid treatment composition according to the second aspect and embodiment of the present invention is very similar to the treatment process according to the liquid treatment composition according to the first aspect and embodiment of the present invention as it essentially involves adding an appropriate dosage of the new liquid treatment composition to a contaminated liquid and allowing the treatment composition to react with the mercaptans and other contaminants in the treated liquid over a period of time, e.g., a dosage rate of 1 to 20,000 ppm of contaminated crude oil or other liquid being treated, with the specific amount based on the type of contaminated liquid being treated and the types and amounts of mercaptans and other contaminants to be remediated in the liquid being treated.

[0048] Some examples of a treatment composition and treatment process using these treatment compositions according to the second aspect and embodiment of the present invention are presented below in relation to Tables 5-8. The treatment process may be carried out at standard temperature and pressure, but can be carried out at any desired temperature and pressure. Because the treated liquids may contain toxic contaminants including H.sub.2S, the treatment process can be carried out in an enclosed treatment chamber or other container, which may include some head space in which vapors of the toxic contaminants and other contaminants may collect. Vapors of the treatment compositions may also be released into the head space where they can react with the contaminant vapors.

[0049] Table 5 presents the results of testing done relative to a sample of liquid condensates from a natural gas/oil well, which included lower molecular weight hydrocarbon base liquids, including naptha and benzene, kerosene, etc., and which also had a relatively high mercaptans content. The specifics of the various contaminants in the condensates sample in its original form (neat) are set forth in Table 5. This condensates sample was treated with different versions of the treatment composition, i.e., L7, L8 and L9, mostly at a dosing rate of 1500 ppm, although for L7 this was used at dosing rates of 1500 ppm and 2000 ppm. The versions L7, L8 and L9 differ from each other only in relation to the organic liquid base that was used therein, i.e., L7 used a mixture containing equal amounts of methanol and n-propanol, L8 used a mixture containing equal amounts of methanol, ethanol and n-propanol, and L9 used a mixture containing equal amounts of methanol and ethanol. All of the sample versions L7, L8 and L9 used 90 vol % of the liquid organic base containing 35% wt/v sodium methoxide dissolved therein and 10 vol % of a mixture of equal amounts of r-limonene and d-limonene (terpene). The specifics of the contaminants remaining in the crude oil sample after being treated with different amounts of the three versions of the treatment composition and tested at different times after the treatment composition was added to the crude oil are set forth in Table 5. Testing results were determined using test methods UOP 163 and the trace sulfur analysis by GC/SCD using ASTM D5623-19.

TABLE-US-00005 TABLE 5 Initial CHEMICAL 7; CHEMICAL 7; CHEMICAL 7; Cylinder 1500 ppm 1500 ppm 2000 ppm Sample Description Unit Test Dose; 1 hr Dose; 24 hr Dose; 24 hr Date Sampled Jan. 31, Jan. 31, Jan. 31, Jan. 31, 2024 2024 2024 2024 Parameter RDL 22000310 22000311 22000314 22000317 Hydrogen Sulphide g/g 0.2 2.1 8.1 1.0 <0.2 Carbonyl Sulphide g/g 0.2 <0.2 <0.2 <0.2 <0.2 Methyl Mercaptan g/g 0.2 91.7 28.7 9.9 24.6 Ethyl Mercaptan g/g 0.2 415 160 67.8 60.1 Dimethyl Sulphide g/g 0.2 13.4 13.3 14.5 11.7 Carbon Disulphide g/g 0.2 <0.2 <0.2 <0.2 <0.2 iso-Propyl Mercaptan g/g 0.2 321 177 145.0 57.6 tert-Butyl Mercaptan g/g 0.2 20.2 17.8 20.1 14.1 n-Propyl Mercaptan g/g 0.2 79.2 55.5 39.2 17.9 Methyl Ethyl Sulphide g/g 0.2 21.1 <0.2 27.0 <0.2 s-Butyl Mercaptan g/g 0.2 245 171 176.5 71.5 Thiophene g/g 0.2 12.2 14.9 13.3 <0.2 iso-Butyl Mercaptan g/g 0.2 13.6 <0.2 9.6 <0.2 Diethyl Sulphide g/g 0.2 12.0 15.2 16.2 12.6 n-Butyl Mercaptan g/g 0.2 35.5 35.1 25.0 12.3 tert-Butyl Methyl Sulphide g/g 0.2 21.7 24.3 21.9 14.5 Dimethyl Disulphide g/g 0.2 3.7 7.5 4.4 3.8 Diethyl Disulphide g/g 0.2 9.7 19.2 40.4 13.5 Total Unidentified ug/g 0.2 1207 1327 1616 1271 Sulphur Compounds Total Organic Sulphur g/g 0.2 2524 2074 2247 1585 C1-C3 Mercaptans ug/g 0.2 907 421 262 160 SAMPLE DENSITY kg/m.sup.3 775.9 777.4 778.9 CHEMICAL 8; CHEMICAL 8; CHEMICAL 9; CHEMICAL 9; 1500 ppm 1500 ppm 1500 ppm 1500 ppm Sample Description Dose; 1 hr Dose; 24 hr Dose; 1 hr Dose; 24 hr Date Sampled Jan. 31, Jan. 31, Jan. 31, 2024 2024 2024 Parameter 22000312 22000315 22000313 22000316 Hydrogen Sulphide <0.2 <0.2 2.5 <0.2 Carbonyl Sulphide <0.2 <0.2 <0.2 <0.2 Methyl Mercaptan 37.3 17.2 29.8 <0.2 Ethyl Mercaptan 225 101.0 167.3 19.0 Dimethyl Sulphide 8.0 12.7 20.1 9.0 Carbon Disulphide <0.2 <0.2 <0.2 <0.2 iso-Propyl Mercaptan 208 143.9 191.8 20.4 tert-Butyl Mercaptan 15.6 14.0 24.1 <0.2 n-Propyl Mercaptan 53.9 30.2 63.5 5.7 Methyl Ethyl Sulphide 15.2 19.9 30.0 10.7 s-Butyl Mercaptan 180 131.0 187.1 25.8 Thiophene 3.5 9.4 14.9 <0.2 iso-Butyl Mercaptan 3.8 5.1 12.1 8.4 Diethyl Sulphide 11.2 13.2 15.7 7.0 n-Butyl Mercaptan 24.7 18.7 36.2 <0.2 tert-Butyl Methyl Sulphide 7.8 15.9 25.3 5.9 Dimethyl Disulphide 48.6 34.9 5.8 8.1 Diethyl Disulphide 18.7 18.6 30.0 12.5 Total Unidentified 406 470.5 1515 289.4 Sulphur Compounds Total Organic Sulphur 1267 1056 2371 421.7 C1-C3 Mercaptans 524 292 452 45.1 SAMPLE DENSITY 778.8 781.1

[0050] As seen from Table 5, the total content of C1-C3 mercaptans was significantly reduced from 907 ppm in the in the original/neat sample of condensates to: 421 ppm 1 hour after being treated with 1500 ppm dosage of the L7 composition; 262 ppm 24 hours after being treated with 1500 ppm dosage of the L7 composition; 160 ppm 24 hours after being treated with 2000 ppm dosage of the L7 composition; 524 ppm 1 hour after being treated with 1500 ppm dosage of the L8 composition; 292 ppm 24 hours after being treated with 1500 ppm dosage of the L8 composition; 452 ppm 1 hour after being treated with 1500 ppm dosage of the L9 composition; and 45.1 ppm 24 hours after being treated with 1500 ppm dosage of the L9 composition. Additionally, although there was not much H.sub.2S in the neat sample of the condensates, it was reduced to essentially zero 24 hours after being treated with each of the L7-L9 composition samples. Also, total unidentified sulfur containing compounds in the neat condensates sample were not significantly reduced using the L7 composition, but were significantly reduced by reduced by more than 50% after 24 hours with the L8 composition and by more than 75% after 24 hours with the L8 composition.

[0051] Table 6 presents the results of testing done relative to a crude oil sample having a relatively high total mercaptans content (RHS) of 2351 ppm with essentially no H.sub.2S in the liquid itself, but about 100 ppm of H.sub.2S in the vapors released from the crude oil and accumulated in a head space above the crude oil in a container in which the crude oil is disposed. This crude oil sample was treated with two different blends of the new treatment composition according to the second aspect and embodiment of the present invention, i.e., No. 11 and No. 6b. These versions of the treatment composition are the same except for the specific terpene(s) used therein, i.e., No. 11 uses r-carvone as the terpene, while No 6b uses a 50/50 blend of r-limonene and d-limonene. Otherwise, the treatment composition includes: 45 vol. % of methanol containing 30% wt/vol of sodium methoxide; 45 vol % of ethanol containing 21% wt/vol of sodium ethoxide; and 10 vol % the terpene(s). The composition No. 11 was tested at dosing rates of 2000 ppm and 3000 ppm, while the composition No. 6b was tested at a dosing rate of 3000 ppm. The levels of the contaminants remaining in the crude oil sample after being treated with different examples of the treatment composition were tested at four different times after the treatment composition was added to the crude oil sample, e.g., after about one hour, after about two hours, after about three hours, and after about two days. Testing results are set forth in Table 6. Testing results were determined using test methods UOP 163 and the trace sulfur analysis by GC/SCD using ASTM D5623-19.

TABLE-US-00006 TABLE 6 Difference UOP 163 Results H2S + Between Titration Vapor Chemistry RSH | H2S Titration RSH % RSH % Start Time & Phase Sample ID Used Dosing Time [03/01] Start Time Reduction Reduction Dosing Time H2S NEAT n/a n/a 2,351.236 0.000 Mar. 1, 2024 n/a n/a n/a >100 ppm ppm 10:17:26 AM BAST001.31 No. 11 Mar. 1, 2024 1,553.063 0.000 Mar. 1, 2024 33.95% n/a 1 hours 6 0 ppm 24-2,000 ppm 10:38:24 AM ppm ppm 11:45:11 AM minutes BAST002.31 No. 11 Mar. 1, 2024 1,438.279 0.000 Mar. 1, 2024 38.83% n/a 1 hours 13 0 ppm 24-3,000 ppm 10:40:30 AM ppm ppm 11:54:09 AM minutes BAST003.31 No. 6b Mar. 1, 2024 1,589.005 0.000 Mar. 1, 2024 32.42% n/a 1 hours 18 0 ppm 24.3,000 ppm 10:45:08 AM ppm ppm 12:03:51 PM minutes BAST001.31 No. 11 Mar. 1, 2024 1,416.486 0.000 Mar. 1, 2024 39.76% n/a 1 hours 48 0 ppm 24-2,000 ppm 10:38:24 AM ppm ppm 12:27:12 PM minutes BAST002.31 No. 11 Mar. 1, 2024 1,307.410 0.000 Mar. 1, 2024 44.39% n/a 1 hours 57 0 ppm 24-3,000 ppm 10:40:30 AM ppm ppm 12:37:55 PM minutes BAST003.31 No. 6b Mar. 1, 2024 1,335.354 0.000 Mar. 1, 2024 43.21% n/a 2 hours 2 0 ppm 24.3,000 ppm 10:45:08 AM ppm ppm 12:47:35 PM minutes BAST001.31 No. 11 Mar. 1, 2024 1,324.410 0.000 Mar. 1, 2024 43.67% n/a 2 hours 56 0 ppm 24-2,000 ppm 10:38:24 AM ppm ppm 1:35:07 PM minutes BAST002.31 No. 11 Mar. 1, 2024 1,211.938 0.000 Mar. 1, 2024 48.46% n/a 3 hours 9 0 ppm 24-3,000 ppm 10:40:30 AM ppm ppm 1:50:29 PM minutes BAST003.31 No. 6b Mar. 1, 2024 1,270.319 0.000 Mar. 1, 2024 45.97% n/a 3 hours 14 0 ppm 24.3,000 ppm 10:45:08 AM ppm ppm 2:00:03 PM minutes BAST001.31 No. 11 Mar. 1, 2024 534.072 0.000 Mar. 4, 2024 77.29% n/a 2 days 0 0 ppm 24-2,000 ppm 10:38:24 AM ppm ppm 11:18:35 AM hours 40 minutes BAST002.31 No. 11 Mar. 1, 2024 428.314 0.000 Mar. 4, 2024 81.78% n/a 2 days 0 0 ppm 24-3,000 ppm 10:40:30 AM ppm ppm 11:26:20 AM hours 45 minutes BAST003.31 No. 6b Mar. 1, 2024 204.038 0.000 Mar. 4, 2024 91.32% n/a 2 days 0 0 ppm 24.3,000 ppm 10:45:08 AM ppm ppm 11:34:53 AM hours 49 minutes

[0052] From Table 6 it can be seen that each of the treatment compositions achieved about 33% reduction in the mercaptans content after 1 hour, about 45-50% reduction in the mercaptans content after 3 hours, and 77-91% reduction in the mercaptans content after about two days and 1 hour.

[0053] Table 7 presents the results of testing done relative to a crude oil sample having a moderately high total mercaptans content (RHS) of 772 ppm with essentially no H.sub.2S in the liquid itself, but about 1000 ppm of H.sub.2S in the vapors released from the crude oil and accumulated in a head space above the crude oil in a container in which the crude oil is disposed. This crude oil sample was treated with several different blends G to M of the new treatment composition according to the second aspect and embodiment of the present invention, and were tested at different times after the treatment composition was added to the contaminated liquid. These blends of the treatment composition are the same except for the specific terpene(s) used therein, i.e., the treatment composition includes: 45 vol. % of methanol containing 30% wt/vol of sodium methoxide; 45 vol % of ethanol containing 21% wt/vol of sodium ethoxide; and 10 vol % the terpene(s), while the blends G to M respectively include 10 vol % of the following terpenes: r-carvone, linalool, r-carvone, linalool, d-limonene, linalool, d-camphor. The levels of the contaminants remaining in the crude oil sample after being treated with different the different blends of the treatment composition were tested at various different times after the treatment composition was added to the crude oil sample, e.g., after about one hour, after about three hours, after about 23 hours, and after about six days. Blends G to K were each tested after two different reaction time periods, while blends L and M were tested after only one reaction time period. All of the crude oil samples were dosed at 2000 ppm of the treatment composition, except for crude oil sample treated with the blend L, which was dosed at 3000 ppm. Testing results are set forth in Table 7. Testing results were determined using test methods UOP 163 and the trace sulfur analysis by GC/SCD using ASTM D5623-19.

TABLE-US-00007 TABLE 7 Treatment Treatment H.sub.2S Chemistry Time Mercaptan Mercaptan Vapor Phase SAMPLE And Dosing days:hrs:mins ppm Reduction ppm Original n/a 0:00:00 772.135 n/a 1000 G R-Carvone 0:00:43 580.171 24.86% 0 2000 ppm 0:02:51 378.875 50.93% 0 H Linalool 0:00:56 505.545 34.53% 0 2000 ppm 0:02:25 379.057 50.91% 0 I R-Carvone 0:22:15 206.676 73.23% 0 2000 ppm 5:23:49 66.275 91.42% 0 J Linalool 0:22:29 236.711 69.34% 0 2000 ppm 6:00:01 57.634 92.54% 0 K High Purity 0:22:45 197.511 74.42% 0 Limonene 6:00:35 85.083 88.98% 0 2000 ppm L Linalool 0:23:15 185.745 75.94% 0 3000 ppm M D-Camphor 0:00:46 578.467 25.08% 0 2000 ppm

[0054] From Table 7 it can be seen that each of the treatment compositions achieved at least a 25% reduction in the mercaptans content after 1 hour, about 50% reduction in the mercaptans content after 3 hours, about 70 to 75% mercaptans reduction after three hours, and about 90-93% reduction in the mercaptans content after about three days. For all of the blends of the treatment composition the vapor phase H.sub.2S was completely remediated down to 0 ppm.

[0055] Some other examples, i) to vii), of a treatment composition according to the second aspect and embodiment of the present invention are as presented below. [0056] i) 45% vol Sodium Methoxide in Methanol (Sodium Methylate) 30% w/w [0057] 45% vol Sodium Ethoxide in Ethanol (Sodium Ethanolate) 21% w/w [0058] 10% vol d-Limonene [0059] ii) 45% vol Sodium Methoxide in Methanol, 15% w/w [0060] 45% Sodium Ethoxide in Ethanol, 10% w/w [0061] 10% vol d-Limonene [0062] iii) 45% vol Sodium Methoxide in Methanol 30% w/w [0063] 44% vol Sodium Ethoxide in Ethanol 21% w/w [0064] 10% vol d-Limonene [0065] 1% vol n-dimethylacetamide [0066] iv) 45% vol Sodium Methoxide in Methanol 30% w/w [0067] 45% vol Sodium Ethoxide in Ethanol 21% w/w [0068] 10% Menthol [0069] v) 45% vol Sodium Methoxide in Methanol (Sodium Methylate) 30% w/w [0070] 45% vol Sodium Ethoxide in Ethanol (Sodium Ethanolate) 21% w/w [0071] 10% vol Menthol [0072] vi) 45% vol Sodium Methoxide in Methanol (Sodium Methylate) 30% w/w [0073] 45% vol Sodium Ethoxide in Ethanol (Sodium Ethanolate) 21% w/w [0074] 10% vol Linalool [0075] vii) 45% vol Sodium Methoxide in Methanol (Sodium Methylate) 30% w/w [0076] 45% vol Sodium Ethoxide in Ethanol (Sodium Ethanolate) 21% w/w [0077] 10% vol Myrcene

[0078] In one experiment involving use of the treatment composition blend i) for treating a contaminated crude oil for remediating mercaptans, as well as total oxygenates and iron. A 2000 ppm dosage of blend i) of the treatment composition was added to the crude oil sample and results were measured 72 hours after the composition was added to the oil sample. Initially, the crude oil sample contained 44.1 parts per million weight (ppmw) total mercaptans, which was reduced by 88% to 5.3 ppmw, 7.1 ppmw total oxygenates (primarily acetaldehyde, methanol and acetone) and 8.1 ppmw iron. After treatment total mercaptans was reduced by 88% to 5.3 ppmw, total oxygenates was reduced by 48% to 3.7 ppmw, and iron was reduced by 33% to 5.7 ppmw.

[0079] In another experiment involving use of the treatment composition blends i) and ii) for remediating total sulfur, iron and nickel in two different samples of a different contaminated crude oil. The results are set forth in Table 8. The dosing rates in these examples are lower than those used for treating the other contaminated crude oil and condensate samples in the Tables 5-7 which were treated for remediating the mercaptans in the samples, e.g., the dosing rates used for remediating the sulfur, iron and nickel were from 100 to 500 ppm, whereas the dosing rates for treating the mercaptans in the contaminated liquids were from 1500 to 3000 ppm.

TABLE-US-00008 TABLE 8 Treatment Dosing Sulfur Iron Nickel SAMPLE 1 Blend Rate % ppm ppm Original n/a n/a 0.4659 485.0 7.3 N i) 500 ppm 0.4576 224.9 4.9 2% reduction 54% reduction 33% reduction O i) 250 ppm 0.4507 224.2 5.6 3% reduction 54% reduction 23% reduction Treatment Dosing Sulfur Iron Nickel SAMPLE 2 Strength Rate % ppm ppm Original n/a n/a 0.5365 263.9 5.1 P i) 100 ppm 0.5373 184.1 3.7 0.15% 30% reduction 27% reduction reduction Q i) 250 ppm 0.5054 179.3 4.1 5.8% reduction 32% reduction 20% reduction R ii) 100 ppm 0.5345 180.3 4.4 0.37% 32% reduction 14% reduction reduction S ii) 250 ppm 0.5155 180.7 5.1 3.9% reduction 32% reduction 0% reduction

[0080] From Table 8 it can be seen that: the treatment composition blends achieved modest sulfur reductions 0.15 to 5.8%, with higher reductions being achieved with higher dosing rates; the treatment composition blends achieved significant iron reductions 30 to 54%, with less dependence on the dosing rates; and the treatment composition blends achieved various nickel reductions 0 to 33%, with less dependence on the dosing rates, and more dependence on the particular terpene used in the treatment composition blend.

Terpenes May be Selectively Required in the Treatment Compositions

[0081] Studies have been carried out by the present inventors with wide range of crude oil samples with different mercaptans to evaluate how important the terpenes are in the treatment compositions. Surprisingly, it was determined not only that the different terpenes provided different results, but also that in relation to some of the crude oils terpenes provided little or no advantage in treating crude oils to remediate mercaptans. The following treatment compositions (mixes) were evaluated for remediating mercaptans and sulfur compounds in hydrocarbon liquids including crude oil. [0082] Mix A: Treatment Composition with high-purity limonene. [0083] Mix B: Treatment Composition with artemisinin. [0084] Mix C: Treatment Composition without any terpenes. The treatment composition of Mix C was formulated with no terpenes, and included no terpenes.

[0085] The results with Mix A, Mix B and Mix C are shown in Table 9. The results obtained by using Gas Chromatography-Sulfur Chemiluminescence Detector (GC-SCD).

TABLE-US-00009 TABLE 9 RT [min] Compound Control Mix A Mix B Mix C 2.10 Hydrogen Sulfide 67.6 0.0 0.0 0.0 2.38 Carbonyl Sulfide 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 4.01 Methanethiol 34.7 0.0 0.0 0.0 6.43 Ethanethiol 139.5 6.3 0.0 0.0 6.97 Dimethyl Sulfide 15.6 10.0 8.0 6.9 7.07 Carbon Disulfide 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 8.15 2-Propanethiol 213.1 33.2 13.0 0.0 9.33 2-Methyl-2-propanethiol 17.5 5.4 3.4 0.0 9.72 1-Propanethiol 61.5 3.6 0.0 0.0 9.88 Ethyl Methyl Sulfide 46.9 29.6 24.8 21.8 11.44 Thiophene + 243.0 53.2 26.5 2.8 sec-butanethiol 11.56 Isobutyl Mercaptan 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 12.32 Diethyl Sulfide 16.9 10.6 8.9 8.3 12.68 1-butyl mercaptan 46.5 9.2 6.7 5.9 13.5 Methyl Disulfide 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 14.39 2-methylthiophene 54.9 18.9 12.1 0.0 14.54 3-methylthiophene 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 17.61 Diethyl Disulfide 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 24.82 5-methylbenzothiophene 20.6 16.3 282.0 248.8 24.94 3-methylbenzothiophene 14.6 13.3 0.0 0.0 31.59 Diphenyl Sulfide 25.5 599.3 517.6 551.2 Sum: 1018.4 808.9 903.0 845.7

[0086] The titration results using Mix A, Mix B and Mix C are shown in Table 10.

TABLE-US-00010 TABLE 10 Titration results from the samples Time Control Time Mix A Time Mix B Time Mix C (min) (ppm) (min) (ppm) (min) (ppm) (min) (ppm) 0 1695 0 1695 0 1695 0 1695 1299 1695 1179 600 1185 694 98 1451 1310 1690 1594 658 1063 331 1222 221 1374 155 1448 120 2776 36

[0087] It can be seen from the results provided in Tables 9 and 10 that the treatment composition Mix Cthe treatment composition with no terpeneseventually provides comparable or superior results to remediate mercaptans and sulfur compounds in the crude oil sample. Also, it can be seen that all of the mixes A to C quickly remediated all of the H.sub.2S

Crude Oil Samples are Positively Affected by Different Terpene Blends

[0088] The following treatment compositions (mixes) having different terpene blends were evaluated for remediating mercaptans and sulfur compounds in hydrocarbon liquids including crude oil. [0089] Mix A1: Treatment Composition with D-solv. [0090] Mix B1: Treatment Composition with high-purity limonene. [0091] Mix C1: Treatment Composition with high-purity limonene under different mixing conditions.

[0092] The results with Mix A1, Mix B1 and Mix C1 are shown in Table 11. The results obtained by using GC-SCD.

TABLE-US-00011 TABLE 11 RT [min] Compound Control Mix A1 Mix B1 Mix C1 2.10 Hydrogen Sulfide 51.5 0.0 14.1 15.9 2.38 Carbonyl Sulfide 8.4 6.7 6.6 6.0 4.01 Methanethiol 1.2 0.3 0.3 0.4 6.43 Ethanethiol 2.5 0.4 0.3 0.4 6.97 Dimethyl Sulfide 1.6 2.1 2.1 1.9 7.07 Carbon Disulfide 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.1 8.15 2-Propanethiol 5.3 0.5 0.7 0.6 9.33 2-Methyl-2-propanethiol 0.7 0.0 0.0 0.0 9.72 1-Propanethiol 1.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 9.88 Ethyl Methyl Sulfide 3.4 4.9 4.5 3.9 11.44 Thiophene + 8.3 0.8 0.8 1.0 sec-butanethiol 11.56 Isobutyl Mercaptan 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 12.32 Diethyl Sulfide 1.9 2.6 2.6 2.2 12.68 1-butyl mercaptan 1.6 1.2 1.1 1.1 13.50 Methyl Disulfide 0.2 0.4 0.3 0.4 14.39 2-methylthiophene 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 14.54 3-methylthiophene 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 17.61 Diethyl Disulfide 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 24.82 5-methylbenzothiophene 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 24.94 3-methylbenzothiophene 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 31.59 Diphenyl Sulfide 13.6 22.7 17.2 13.6 Sum: 101.3 42.6 50.6 47.5

[0093] The titration results for Mix A1, Mix B1 and Mix C1 are shown in Table 12.

TABLE-US-00012 TABLE 12 Titration results from the above samples Sample Sulfur content via UOP 163 (ppm) Control #1 229.727 Control #2 203.985 Mix A1 #1 44.398 Mix A1 #2 43.845 Mix B1 #1 134.703 Mix B1 #2 128.74 Mix C1 #1 133.068 Total 918.466

[0094] The results in Tables 11 and 12 show that some crude oil samples are positively affected by different terpene blends to remediate mercaptans and sulfur compounds in hydrocarbon liquids. Further, the results in Tables 11 and 12 show that the terpene blends may accelerate mercapten conversion (depending on mixing/terpenes).

Treatment Process Involving Directly Dissolving Alkoxides in Crude Oils

[0095] In another embodiment of the present invention, it was determined that mercaptans, H.sub.2S and other sulfur based contaminants in crude oil or other contaminated hydrocarbon liquids may be remediated by a simplified process in which the alkoxides or hydrates of the alkoxides are directly dissolved in the contaminated liquids. It has been found that such a simplified process can positively cause remediation of mercaptans, although perhaps not as effectively as the liquid treatment compositions of the present invention in which the alkoxides are dissolved in carrier liquids. For this treatment process the inventors have found that the alkoxides may be directly dissolved in crude oil or other contaminated liquids at a dosage rate of 0.1 to 3% wt//vol. Also, some alkoxides may more readily dissolve in the crude oil or other liquid being treated, e.g., potassium tert-butoxide (KOtBu, an alkoxide) dissolves more readily than sodium methylate (NaOMe, an alkoxide)

[0096] In one evaluation (Evaluation 1), potassium tert-butoxide (KOtBu, an alkoxide) was directly added at 0.15% (w/v) (equivalent to 5,000 ppm dosing of treatment composition) to a stirred solution of Battalion After Sweet Tower heated at 50 C. (122 F.) for 64 hours. In this evaluation, the RSH went from 1,763 ppm to 833 ppm.

[0097] In another evaluation (Evaluation 2), sodium methylate (NaOMe, an alkoxide) was directly added at 0.15% (w/v) (equivalent to 5,000 ppm dosing of treatment composition) to a stirred solution of Battalion After Sweet Tower heated at 50 C. (122 F.) for 64 hours. In this evaluation, the RSH went from 1,763 ppm to 1,326 ppm.

[0098] The Evaluations 1 and 2 indicate that just stirring the dry alkoxide powder does indeed decrease the mercaptan concentration in the hydrocarbon liquids, e.g., the Evaluation 1 remediated slightly less that 50% of mercaptans, and the Evaluation 2 remediated less that 25% of mercaptans.

[0099] The foregoing description is given for clearness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, as modifications within the scope of the invention may be apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art and are encompassed by the claims appended hereto. As one example, while the new treatment compositions according to the present invention do not require the use of organic acids such as fulvic acid and humic acid, a small collective amount, e.g., 0.1 to 2 weight %, of one or both of these organic acids may be included in the new treatment compositions in order to further prevent formation and release of any precipitates from the treated liquids.