Chemical Composition of Matter for the Liquefaction and Dissolution of Asphaltene and Paraffin Sludges into Petroleum Crude Oils and Refined Products at Ambient Temperatures and Method of Use

Abstract

A chemical composition of matter comprising a wax plasticizing agent (plasticizer) tributoxyethyl phosphate, a mixture of selected long chain fatty acids (preferably C 10 to C 22 ), and a mixture of selected low-surface tension surfactants, which when added in solution to crude oil or refined products has been shown to lower both the B.S. & W. (rag layer) and the coefficient of friction of crude oils and refined products. This chemical composition of matter is particularly useful as a wax liquefaction, dispersant, and solubilization agent for asphaltene and paraffins in crude oil and refined products. The reduction in the co-efficient of friction resulting from the addition of this product to crude oil will allow crude oil to pump through pipelines with a minimum amount of resistance due to friction (drag).

1 . A substantially non-aqueous composition for reducing the viscosity of petroleum paraffin wax and/or asphaltenes found in petroleum, the composition comprising a blend of:
 (a) a plasticizing agent for plasticing wax or asphaltenes comprising tributoxyethylphosphate (KP-140);   (b) a solubilizing agent for solubilizing wax or asphaltenes selected from the group consisting of: crude oil, petroleum distillates, turpentine, pine oil, gas-to-liquid fuels (G.T.L.), vegetable oil, fatty acids, a blend of fatty acids, esterified fatty acids, amidified fatty acids, turpentine, pine oil, glycol ethers, and n-methyl-2-pyrrolidone aka M-PYROL, and mixtures thereof; and   (c) a surface active agent capable of reducing the surface tension of the blend to an interfacial surface tension of less than 20 dynes per cm2, selected from the group consisting of nonionic ethoxylated alcohols surfactant (HLB ranging from about 10.0 to about 15.0), nonionic fluorosurfactants (HLB ranging from about 10.0 to about 13.0), and nonionic phosphate ester surfactants (HLB ranging from about 6.0 to about 10.0), and mixtures thereof.   
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 2 , wherein the petroleum distillate is selected from the group consisting of: diesel, light cycle oil, lube base oil, mineral oil, vacuum gas oil, middle distillate, kerosene, crude oil tank bottoms, asphalt crude oil, naphtha, and fuel oil, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 2 , wherein the vegetable oil is selected from the group consisting of: castor oil, coconut oil, corn oil, cottonseed oil, linseed oil, oiticica oil, olive oil, peanut oil, perilla oil, rapeseed oil, safflower oil, soybean oil, sunflower oil, and tong oil, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         5 . A substantially non-aqueous composition for reducing the viscosity of petroleum paraffin wax and/or asphaltenes found in petroleum, the composition comprising a blend of:
 (a) a plasticizing agent for plasticing wax or asphaltenes comprising tributoxyethylphosphate (KP-140);   (b) a solubilizing agent for solubilizing wax or asphaltenes comprising fatty acids; and   (c) a surface active agent capable of reducing the surface tension of the blend to an interfacial surface tension of less than 20 dynes per cm2 comprising a mixture of a nonionic ethoxylated alcohol surfactant (HLB ranging from about 10.0 to about 15.0), a nonionic fluoroalcohol surfactant (HLB ranging from about 10.0 to about 13.0), and a nonionic phosphate ester surfactant (HLB ranging from about 6.0 to about 10.0).   
     
     
         6 . The composition of  claim 1 , consisting essentially of the blend of:
 (a) the plasticizing agent;   (b) the solubilizing agent; and   (c) the surface active agent.   
     
     
         7 . The composition of  claim 1 , consisting of the blend of:
 (a) the plasticizing agent;   (b) the solubilizing agent; and   (c) the surface active agent.   
     
     
         8 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein:
 (c) the surface active agent is capable of reducing the surface tension of the blend to an interfacial surface tension of less than 15 dynes per cm2.   
     
     
         9 . The composition  claim 1 , wherein:
 (c) the surface active agent is capable of reducing the surface tension of the blend to an interfacial surface tension of less than 10 dynes per cm2.   
     
     
         10 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein:
 (c) the surface active agent is capable of reducing the surface tension of the blend to an interfacial surface tension of less than 5 dynes per cm2.   
     
     
         11 - 14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein:
 (a) the plasticizing agent comprises between about 15 and 85 percent by weight of the blend;   (b) the solubilizing agent comprises between about 85 and 15 percent by weight of the blend; and   (c) the surface active agent comprises between about 0.5 and about 4.0 percent by weight of the blend.   
     
     
         16 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein:
 (a) the plasticizing agent comprises between about 30 and 65 percent by weight of the blend;   (b) the solubilizing agent comprises between about 65 and 30 percent by weight of the blend; and   (c) the surface active agent comprises between 1.5 and 3 percent by weight of the blend.   
     
     
         17 - 22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . A method of liquefying and dissolving petroleum paraffin wax and/or asphaltenes found in petroleum into crude oil and refined distillate products, comprising adding an effective amount of the composition of  claim 1  to the crude oil or refined distillate products and adding a diluent, wherein:
 (a) the plasticizing agent is present in an amount, by volume, of about 0.000010 to 0.0025 parts per part of petroleum paraffin wax and/or asphaltenes; 
 (b) the solubilizing agent is present in an amount, by volume, of about 0.000010 to 0.0025 parts per part of petroleum paraffin wax and/or asphaltenes; and 
 (c) the surface active agent is present in an amount, by volume, of about 0.0000010 to 0.0001 parts per part of petroleum paraffin wax and/or asphaltenes. 
 
     
     
         24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . A method of liquefying and dissolving petroleum paraffin wax and/or asphaltenes found in petroleum into crude oil and refined distillate products, comprising adding an effective amount of the composition of  claim 1  to the crude oil or refined distillate products and adding a diluent, wherein:
 (a) the plasticizing agent is present in an amount, by volume, of about 0.00025 to 0.0025 parts per part of petroleum paraffin wax and/or asphaltenes; 
 (b) the solubilizing agent is present in an amount, by volume, of about 0.00025 to 0.0025 parts per part of petroleum paraffin wax and/or asphaltenes; and 
 (c) the surface active agent is present in an amount, by volume, of about 0.000025 to 0.0001 parts per part of petroleum paraffin wax and/or asphaltenes. 
 
     
     
         26 - 29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . A method of liquefying and dissolving petroleum paraffin wax and/or asphaltenes found in petroleum into crude oil and refined distillate products, comprising adding an effective amount of the composition of  claim 1  to the crude oil or refined distillate products and adding a diluent, wherein:
 (a) the plasticizing agent is present in an amount, by volume, of at least 0.000025 parts per part of petroleum paraffin wax and/or asphaltenes. 
 
     
     
         31 . (canceled) 
     
     
         32 . A method of liquefying and dissolving petroleum paraffin wax and/or asphaltenes found in petroleum into crude oil and refined distillate products, comprising adding an effective amount of the composition of  claim 1  to the crude oil or refined distillate products and adding a diluent, wherein:
 (b) the solubilizing agent is present in an amount, by volume, of at least 0.000010 parts per part of petroleum paraffin wax and/or asphaltenes. 
 
     
     
         33 - 34 . (canceled) 
     
     
         35 . A method of liquefying and dissolving petroleum paraffin wax and/or asphaltenes found in petroleum into crude oil and refined distillate products, comprising adding an effective amount of the composition of  claim 1  to the crude oil or refined distillate products and adding a diluent, wherein:
 (c) the surface active agent is present in an amount, by volume, of at least 0.0000010 parts per part of petroleum paraffin wax and/or asphaltenes. 
 
     
     
         36 - 40 . (canceled) 
     
     
         41 . A method of liquefying and dissolving petroleum paraffin wax and/or asphaltenes found in petroleum into crude oil and refined distillate products, comprising adding an effective amount of the composition of  claim 1  to the crude oil or refined distillate products and adding a diluent, wherein:
 the diluent is present in an amount, by volume, of about 0.5 to about 33 parts per part of petroleum paraffin wax and/or asphaltenes. 
 
     
     
         42 . (canceled) 
     
     
         43 . A method of liquefying and dissolving petroleum paraffin wax and/or asphaltenes found in petroleum into crude oil and refined distillate products, comprising adding an effective amount of the composition of  claim 1  to the crude oil or refined distillate products and adding a diluent, wherein:
 the diluent is present in an amount, by volume, of about 0.5 to about 5.0 parts per part of petroleum paraffin wax and/or asphaltenes. 
 
     
     
         44 - 64 . (canceled) 
     
     
         65 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the substantially non-aqueous composition includes not more than 1% water by weight. 
     
     
         66 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the substantially non-aqueous composition includes not more than 0.5% water by weight. 
     
     
         67 - 85 . (canceled)