Styrene Copolymer Demulsifiers for Low-Temperature Crude Oil Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current chemical demulsifiers for separating water from oil are costly, require high temperatures, and use toxic materials, making them inefficient and hazardous for offshore oilfield operations, especially when dealing with stable emulsions containing high asphaltene and resin content.
Innovation Solution
Development of novel carboxylic acid-styrene and pyridine-styrene based demulsifiers with a molecular weight range of 10,000 to 600,000 Daltons, which can demulsify crude oil at room temperature using a copolymer of styrene with pyridine or carboxylic acid salts, achieving efficient separation with low dosages and short curing times.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional chemical demulsifiers are used to separate water from oil, then separation efficiency is improved, but the cost increases and toxic materials are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of demulsifiers by developing copolymers with specific molecular weights (10,000-600,000 Daltons) and specific monomer compositions (styrene combined with carboxylic acid or pyridine groups). These parameter changes enable effective demulsification without requiring toxic materials, thus improving separation efficiency while reducing harmful factors
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates composite demulsifier molecules by copolymerizing styrene with carboxylic acid-containing monomers or pyridine-containing monomers. This composite structure combines the hydrophobic styrene component with the polar carboxylic acid or pyridine groups, enabling effective interaction with both oil and water phases to achieve efficient separation without toxicity
2Reliability
If high molecular weight demulsifiers are used to improve stability, then emulsion breaking capability is enhanced, but the dosage requirement increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the molecular weight parameter of demulsifiers to a specific range (10,000-600,000 Daltons) and controls the ratio of styrene to carboxylic acid/pyridine monomers. This parameter optimization achieves the right balance between emulsion breaking capability and dosage efficiency, allowing effective separation at lower concentrations without requiring excessive quantities
3Reliability
If conventional demulsification processes are used, then water separation is achieved, but high temperatures and long processing times are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the temperature parameter by designing demulsifiers that function effectively at ambient or moderate temperatures. The copolymer structure with carboxylic acid or pyridine groups enables hydrogen bonding and electrostatic interactions that work efficiently without high thermal energy input, thus achieving water separation at lower temperatures and reducing processing time
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The novel demulsifiers demonstrate high efficiency (>95%) in separating water from crude oil, achieving <1% water content and <100 ppm oil content within 1-10 minutes at 25-40°C, with a cost-effective and safer process compared to traditional methods.
Implementation Method 1
The function of the demulsifier is to modify the interfacial properties and displace the asphaltenic stabilized emulsion film from the oil/water interface
Implementation Method 2
Amphiphilic block copolymers, which contain hydrophilic ethylene oxide (EO) and hydrophobic propylene oxides (PO) blocks, are commercially available and widely used as demulsifiers
Implementation Method 3
The performance of the demulsifier strongly depends on its chemical characteristics, chemical composition, MW, oil/water interfacial tension etc
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to novel crude oil demulsifier comprises a copolymer of styrene with pyridine or a carboxylic acid or its salt selected from methacrylic, acrylic, maleic or fumaric acid with molecular weight in the range of 10000 to 600000 Daltons, dose in the range of 20-1000 ppm. The invention further relates to a process for demulsification of crude oil by treating crude oil with the copolymer in the range of 20-1000 ppm in the temperature range of 25-40° C. by shaking to obtain demulsified crude oil having crude oil with <1% water, and Water <100 ppm oil.