Plasticized latex formulations for improved pumpability

Abstract

Hydrocarbon streams, such as crude oil streams, may have reduced drag when an effective amount to reduce drag of a drag reducing composition is added to a liquid hydrocarbon, where the drag reducing composition includes a drag reducing latex comprising at least one plasticizer in an amount effective to improve the ability to pump the latex into a hydrocarbon composition or stream with assured flow of the latex. Latex formulations are known to cause agglomerated particles during pumping operations, and the agglomerated hard particles tend to plug check valves in injection pump equipment, but the inclusion of at least one plasticizer reduces or prevents such problems.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A drag reducing composition to reduce the drag of a liquid hydrocarbon, the drag reducing composition comprising:
 a drag reducing latex; and   at least one plasticizer in an amount effective to improve the ability to pump the drag reducing latex into the liquid hydrocarbon, where the weight ratio of the at least one plasticizer to drag reducing latex ranges from about 1/99 to about 10/90.   
     
     
         2 . The drag reducing composition of  claim 1  where:
 the drag reducing latex comprises a polymer having at least one monomer selected from the group consisting of acrylates, methacrylates, 2-ethylhexyl methacrylate, isobutyl methacrylate, butyl methacrylate, 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, isobutyl acrylate, butyl acrylate, C1 to C6 alcohol esters of acrylic acid or methacrylic acid, styrene, acrylic acid, and combinations thereof; and 
 the at least one plasticizer is selected from the group consisting of glycols, polyglycols, glycol ethers, esters, aliphatic alcohols, aromatic alcohols, ketones, aldehydes, paraffinic and isoparaffinic solvents, white and mineral spirit blends, aromatic solvents, and combinations thereof. 
 
     
     
         3 . The drag reducing composition of  claim 2  where the polymer consists of a monomer that is acrylic acid and another monomer selected from the group consisting of acrylates, methacrylates, 2-ethylhexyl methacrylate, isobutyl methacrylate, butyl methacrylate, 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, isobutyl acrylate, butyl acrylate, C1 to C6 alcohol esters of acrylic acid or methacrylic acid, styrene, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The drag reducing composition of  claim 1  where the amount of the at least one plasticizer in the drag reducing latex ranges from about 5 wt % to about 20 wt %, based on the total amount of the drag reducing latex. 
     
     
         5 . The drag reducing composition of  claim 1  where the drag reducing latex comprises water and at least one winterizing additive selected from the group consisting of ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         6 . A drag reducing composition to reduce the drag of a liquid hydrocarbon, the drag reducing composition comprising:
 a drag reducing latex comprising a polymer where the polymer consists of a monomer that is acrylic acid and another monomer selected from the group consisting of acrylates, methacrylates, 2-ethylhexyl methacrylate, isobutyl methacrylate, butyl methacrylate, 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, isobutyl acrylate, butyl acrylate, C1 to C6 alcohol esters of acrylic acid or methacrylic acid, styrene, and combinations thereof; and   at least one plasticizer in an amount effective to improve the ability to pump the drag reducing latex into the liquid hydrocarbon.   
     
     
         7 . The drag reducing composition of  claim 6  where the weight ratio of the at least one plasticizer to drag reducing latex ranges from about 1/99 to about 10/90. 
     
     
         8 . The drag reducing composition of  claim 6  where:
 the at least one plasticizer is selected from the group consisting of glycols, polyglycols, glycol ethers, esters, aliphatic alcohols, aromatic alcohols, ketones, aldehydes, paraffinic and isoparaffinic solvents, white and mineral spirit blends, aromatic solvents, and combinations thereof. 
 
     
     
         9 . The drag reducing composition of  claim 6  where the amount of the at least one plasticizer in the drag reducing latex ranges from about 5 wt % to about 20 wt %, based on the total amount of the drag reducing latex. 
     
     
         10 . The drag reducing composition of  claim 6  where the drag reducing latex comprises water and at least one winterizing additive selected from the group consisting of ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         11 . A method of making a drag reducing composition to reduce the drag of a liquid hydrocarbon, the method comprising:
 combining a drag reducing latex with at least one plasticizer in an amount effective to improve the ability to pump the drag reducing latex into the liquid hydrocarbon, where the weight ratio of the at least one plasticizer to drag reducing latex ranges from about 1/99 to about 10/90.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  where:
 the drag reducing latex comprises a polymer having at least one monomer selected from the group consisting of acrylates, methacrylates, 2-ethylhexyl methacrylate, isobutyl methacrylate, butyl methacrylate, 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, isobutyl acrylate, butyl acrylate, C1 to C6 alcohol esters of acrylic acid or methacrylic acid, styrene, acrylic acid, and combinations thereof; and 
 the at least one plasticizer is selected from the group consisting of glycols, polyglycols, glycol ethers, esters, aliphatic alcohols, aromatic alcohols, ketones, aldehydes, paraffinic and isoparaffinic solvents, white and mineral spirit blends, aromatic solvents, and combinations thereof. 
 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  where the polymer consists of a monomer that is acrylic acid and another monomer selected from the group consisting of acrylates, methacrylates, 2-ethylhexyl methacrylate, isobutyl methacrylate, butyl methacrylate, 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, isobutyl acrylate, butyl acrylate, C1 to C6 alcohol esters of acrylic acid or methacrylic acid, styrene, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11  where the amount of the at least one plasticizer in the drag reducing latex ranges from about 5 wt % to about 20 wt %, based on the total amount of the drag reducing latex. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11  where the drag reducing latex comprises water and at least one winterizing additive selected from the group consisting of ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         16 . A method of making a drag reducing composition to reduce the drag of a liquid hydrocarbon, the method comprising:
 combining a drag reducing latex comprising a polymer where the polymer consists of a monomer that is acrylic acid and another monomer selected from the group consisting of acrylates, methacrylates, 2-ethylhexyl methacrylate, isobutyl methacrylate, butyl methacrylate, 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, isobutyl acrylate, butyl acrylate, C1 to C6 alcohol esters of acrylic acid or methacrylic acid, styrene, and combinations thereof, with at least one plasticizer in an amount effective to improve the ability to pump the drag reducing latex into the liquid hydrocarbon.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  where the weight ratio of the at least one plasticizer to drag reducing latex ranges from about 1/99 to about 10/90 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16  where:
 the at least one plasticizer is selected from the group consisting of glycols, polyglycols, glycol ethers, esters, aliphatic alcohols, aromatic alcohols, ketones, aldehydes, paraffinic and isoparaffinic solvents, white and mineral spirit blends, aromatic solvents, and combinations thereof. 
 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16  where the amount of the at least one plasticizer in the drag reducing latex ranges from about 5 wt % to about 20 wt %, based on the total amount of the drag reducing latex. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16  where the drag reducing latex comprises water and at least one winterizing additive selected from the group consisting of ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, and mixtures thereof.