Phenol aldehydes asphaltene inhibitors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10858604-B2
Application number	US-201816210090-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 5, 2018
Priority date	Dec 8, 2017
Publication date	Dec 8, 2020
Grant date	Dec 8, 2020

Abstract

A method of stabilizing asphaltenes in a petroleum hydrocarbon fluid comprises contacting the petroleum hydrocarbon fluid with a mixed phenol aldehyde derived from an aldehyde and two or more unsubstituted or alkyl-substituted monophenols, the two or more unsubstituted or alkyl-substituted monophenols comprising a first phenol which is a C 1-20 linear or branched alkyl monophenol; and a second phenol which is unsubstituted or a C 1-20 linear or branched alkyl monophenol different from the first phenol, wherein the molar ratio of the first phenol relative to the second phenol is about 4:1 to about 1:4.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of stabilizing asphaltenes in a petroleum hydrocarbon fluid, the method comprising:
contacting the petroleum hydrocarbon fluid with a mixed phenol aldehyde, the mixed phenol aldehyde having a structure represented by the formula

wherein
R 5 is a linear or branched dodecyl,
R 6 is t-butyl, and
n:m is 2.3:1 to 1:2.3.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mixed phenol aldehyde has a higher weight average molecular weight, a lower viscosity, or a combination thereof than a reference phenol aldehyde prepared by the same method using a single alkyl-substituted monophenol and the same aldehyde, determined under the same testing conditions.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the amount of the mixed phenol aldehyde is about 50 ppm to about 5000 ppm based on a total volume of the petroleum hydrocarbon fluid.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein a synergistic additive is used together with the mixed phenol aldehyde to treat the petroleum hydrocarbon fluid, and the synergistic additive comprises an amine, a polyamine, or a combination thereof.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the synergistic additive comprises a fatty acid based imidazoline, diethylenetriamine, tetraethylenetetramine, tetraethylenepentamine, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the weight ratio of the mixed phenol aldehyde relative to the synergistic additive is about 99:1 to about 4:1.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the petroleum hydrocarbon fluid further contains water, brine, a gas, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the contacting is conducted during production, storage, transportation, and refining of the petroleum hydrocarbon fluid.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the contacting is conducted at a temperature of about −50° C. to about 250° C. and a pressure of about 14.7 psig to about 40,000 psig.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mixed phenol aldehyde and the synergist additive are separately added to the petroleum hydrocarbon fluid.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising combining the mixed phenol aldehyde and the synergist additive to provide an asphaltene inhibitor composition, and contacting the petroleum hydrocarbon fluid with the asphaltene inhibitor composition.

12. A petroleum hydrocarbon fluid comprising:
an asphaltene inhibitor or dispersion composition that contains a mixed phenol aldehyde, the mixed phenol aldehyde having a structure represented by the formula

wherein
R 5 is a linear or branched dodecyl,
R 6 is t-butyl, and
n:m is 2.3:1 to 1:2.3.

13. The petroleum hydrocarbon fluid of claim 12 , further comprising a synergistic additive, and the synergistic additive comprises an amine, a polyamine, or a combination thereof.

14. An asphaltene inhibitor composition comprising:
a mixed phenol aldehyde having a structure represented by the formula

wherein
R 5 is a linear or branched dodecyl,
R 6 is t-butyl, and
n:m is 2.3:1 to 1:2.3.

Assignees

• Nguyen Henry
• Weers Jerry
• Jennings David
• Chao Kung Po
• Mangadlao Joey Dacula
• Baker Hughes A Ge Co Llc

Inventors

• Nguyen Henry
• Weers Jerry
• Jennings David
• Chao Kung-Po
• Mangadlao Joey Dacula

Classifications

• C10L1/232

  containing nitrogen in a heterocyclic ring {(C10L1/221 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• C08G8/12

  with monohydric phenols having only one hydrocarbon substituent ortho on para to the OH group, e.g. p-tert.-butyl phenol · CPC title

• C10L1/1981 Primary

  Condensation polymers of aldehydes or ketones · CPC title

• C10L2200/0259

  Nitrogen containing compounds · CPC title

• C10L2230/14

  for improving storage or transport of the fuel · CPC title