Processing mixtures of hydrocarbons and water

Abstract

A method of facilitating separation of hydrocarbon from a mixture comprising 5 hydrocarbons and water is disclosed. The mixture is exposed to a composition comprising at least certain polymeric surfactants such that at least a portion of the hydrocarbons forms a separate layer from the remaining portion of the mixture. The disclosure further provides a use of certain polymeric surfactants to at least partially separate hydrocarbon from a mixture comprising hydrocarbons and water such that at least a portion of the 10 hydrocarbons forms a separate layer from the remaining portion of the mixture. The disclosure further provides a method of removing a sludge comprising a mixture of petroleum and water from a surface, the method comprising treating the sludge with an amount of a composition comprising certain polymeric surfactants effective to remove the sludge from the surface.

1 . A method of facilitating separation of hydrocarbon from a mixture comprising hydrocarbons and water, the method comprising:
 exposing the mixture to a composition comprising a first polymeric surfactant such that at least a portion of the hydrocarbons forms a separate layer from the remaining portion of the mixture, the first polymeric surfactant comprising a polyalkyleneoxy segment and   at least one first divalent unit selected from the group consisting of formulae:   
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein 
         R f  represents a fluoroalkyl group having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms; 
         R and R 2  are each independently hydrogen or alkyl of 1 to 4 carbon atoms; 
         n is an integer from 2 to 10; and 
         m is an integer from 1 to 5. 
       
     
     
         2 . A method as claimed as in  claim 1  further comprising removing at least a portion of the hydrocarbons from the separate hydrocarbon layer. 
     
     
         3 . A method as claimed in  claim 1  in which the mixture is a crude oil sludge contaminant in at least one of a crude oil storage container or a crude oil transport container. 
     
     
         4 . A method as claimed in  claim 1  in which the mixture is a tar sand. 
     
     
         5 . A method as claimed in  claim 1  in which the mixture is an emulsion comprising at least the hydrocarbons and the water. 
     
     
         6 . A method of removing a sludge comprising a mixture of petroleum and water from a surface, the method comprising:
 treating the sludge with an amount of a composition comprising a first polymeric surfactant effective to remove the sludge from the surface, the first polymeric surfactant comprising a polyalkyleneoxy segment and   at least one first divalent unit selected from the group consisting of formulae:   
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein 
         R f  represents a fluoroalkyl group having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms; 
         R and R 2  are each independently hydrogen or alkyl of 1 to 4 carbon atoms; 
         n is an integer from 2 to 10; and 
         m is an integer from 1 to 5. 
       
     
     
         7 . A method as claimed in  claim 6  in which the sludge is a contaminant in at least one of a crude oil storage container or a crude oil transport container. 
     
     
         8 . A method as claimed in  claim 6  in which the sludge is a tar sand. 
     
     
         9 . A method as claimed in  claim 6  in which the sludge is a spot contaminant on above-ground equipment in an oil field. 
     
     
         10 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the first polymeric surfactant comprises:
 at least one second divalent unit selected from the group consisting of formulae:   
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein 
         R 1  and R 2  are each independently hydrogen or alkyl of 1 to 4 carbon atoms; 
         EO represents —CH 2 CH 2 O—; 
         each PO independently represents —CH(CH 3 )CH 2 O— or 
         —CH 2 CH(CH 3 )O—; 
         each p is independently an integer of from 1 to about 128; and 
         each q is independently an integer of from 0 to about 55. 
       
     
     
         11 . A method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein R f  represents a fluoroalkyl group having from 2 to 5 carbon atoms. 
     
     
         12 . The method as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one first divalent unit is represented by formula I. 
     
     
         13 . A method as claimed in  claim 1  in which the composition further comprises an organic solvent. 
     
     
         14 . A method as claimed in  claim 13  in which the organic solvent comprises a C6 to C10 alkane. 
     
     
         15 . A method as claimed in  claim 13  in which the organic solvent comprises an ether having up to 10 carbon atoms. 
     
     
         16 . A method as claimed in  claim 13  in which the amount of organic solvent is at least about 4% by weight, based on the total weight of the composition. 
     
     
         17 . A method as claimed in  claim 1  in which the composition further comprises water. 
     
     
         18 . A method as claimed in any  claim 17  in which the amount of water is less than about 96% by weight, based on the total weight of the composition. 
     
     
         19 . A method as claimed in  claim 1  in which the first polymeric surfactant is a reaction product formed by copolymerisation of:
 a first reactant which is at least one compound selected from the group consisting of compounds represented by formulae: 
 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         a second reactant which is a polyalkyleneoxy acrylate or diacrylate. 
       
     
     
         20 . The method as claimed in  claim 19 , wherein the second reactant is selected from the group consisting of compounds represented by formulae: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein 
         R 1  and R 2  are each independently hydrogen or alkyl of 1 to 4 carbon atoms; 
         EO represents —CH 2 CH 2 O—; 
         each PO independently represents —CH(CH 3 )CH 2 O— or —CH 2 CH(CH 3 )O—; 
         each p is independently an integer of from 1 to about 128; and 
         each q is independently an integer of from 0 to about 55.