Method And Device For Treatment Of Liquid Petroleum Products Having High Concentrations Of Sulfur Compounds

Abstract

Process, method and apparatus for reducing sulfide contaminants in a crude oil stream in which crude oil is processed in a crude oil treatment device having crude oil conveying conduit having a crude oil inlet and a crude oil outlet distal to the crude oil inlet, the crude oil conveying conduit having a crude oil process stream conveyed therethrough; at least one mixer associated with the crude oil conveying conduit; and at least one treatment composition holding tank in fluid communication with the crude oil conveying conduit.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A crude oil treatment device comprising:
 a crude oil conveying conduit having a crude oil inlet and a crude oil outlet distal to the crude oil inlet, the crude oil conveying conduit having a crude oil process stream conveyed therethrough;   at least one mixer associated with the crude oil conveying conduit; and   at least one treatment composition holding tank in fluid communication with the crude oil conveying conduit.   
     
     
         2 . The crude oil treatment device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one mixer is a static mixer. 
     
     
         3 . The crude oil treatment device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one mixer is a crude oil recirculation device. 
     
     
         4 . The crude oil treatment device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one mixer includes at least one static mixer and at least one crude oil recirculation device. 
     
     
         5 . The crude oil treatment device of  claim 1  wherein the at least one treatment composition holding tank is in communication with the crude oil conveying conduit via at least one cyclonic mixing device. 
     
     
         6 . The crude oil treatment device of  claim 5  wherein the cyclonic mixing device comprises:
 a cylindrical treatment fluid introduction chamber having a treatment fluid introduction chamber diameter D and a treatment fluid introduction chamber height h, the cylindrical treatment fluid introduction chamber having at least one axial treatment fluid introduction port and at least one cylindrical crude oil introduction port, the cylindrical crude oil introduction port located coaxial to the cylindrical treatment fluid introduction chamber and having an average inner diameter Dx, wherein Dx has a value that is between 20% and 80% of the diameter of the cylindrical treatment fluid introduction chamber; 
 an intermediate transit region contiguously connected to the cylindrical treatment fluid introduction chamber at a location distal to the cylindrical crude oil introduction port, the intermediate transit region having an outer wall that tapers from an upstream diameter D B  having a value equal to D to an intermediate transit region outlet, the intermediate transit region outlet having a downstream diameter D BC  having a value equal to Dx; and 
 a connection pipe contiguously connected to the intermediate transit region at a location distal to the cylindrical treatment fluid introduction chamber, the connection pipe having a connection pipe inlet and a connection pipe outlet. 
 
     
     
         7 . The crude oil treatment device of  claim 6  further comprising: a venturi tube in fluid communication with the intermediate transit region outlet and projecting in a chamber defined by the connection pipe. 
     
     
         8 . The crude oil treatment device of  claim 7  wherein the venturi tube comprises:
 a convergent cone located proximate to the outlet of the intermediate transit region of the cyclonic mixing device, the convergent cone having a convergent cone maximum diameter D x 1 equal to the downstream diameter D BC  of the intermediate transit region outlet, having a slope between 1 in 4 and 1 in 5, the convergent cone having a length L V1  and a convergent cone minimum diameter that is between 10% and 50% less than the convergent cone maximum diameter; 
 a throat in fluid communication with a downstream section of the convergent cone; and 
 a divergent cone in fluid communication with the throat distal to the convergent cone, the divergent cone having a slope between 1 in 4 and 1 in 5 and a length L V2  that is less than the length L V1 . 
 
     
     
         9 . The crude oil treatment device of  claim 8 , wherein the throat of the venturi tube has a length less than length L V2 . 
     
     
         10 . The crude oil treatment device of  claim 9 , wherein the cylindrical treatment fluid introduction chamber and the intermediate transit region have a combined height value H T , and the cylindrical treatment fluid introduction chamber has a height h which is between 10 and 40% of H T , and wherein the connection pipe has a height equal to or greater than connection pipe diameter. 
     
     
         11 . The crude oil treatment device of  claim 1  further comprising at least one horizontal capillary controller downstream of and in fluid contact with the at least one mixer. 
     
     
         12 . The crude oil treatment device of  claim 11  wherein the at least one horizontal capillary controller comprises a hemispheric body having a planar face oriented downstream relative to the mixer and a plurality of orifices defined in the planar face of the hemispheric body, the orifices disposed radially on the planar face of the hemispheric body and communicating with at least one channel defined therein and at least one inlet orifice positioned distal to the planar face of the hemispheric body in fluid contact with the crude oil process stream. 
     
     
         13 . The crude oil treatment device of  claim 1  further comprising a diffuser in fluid contact with one at least one of the treatment composition and the crude oil process stream, the diffuser comprising a central channel and a plurality of bubblers projecting from the central channel, the plurality of bubblers projecting outward from the central channel in spaced axial relationship thereto. 
     
     
         14 . A crude oil treatment device component comprising:
 a treatment composition introduction conduit;   a treatment composition mixing housing defining chamber in fluid communication with the treatment composition introduction conduit, the treatment composition mixing housing having at least one crude oil inlet and at least one process stream outlet; and   at least one mixing apparatus contained in the treatment composition mixing housing coaxial to the treatment composition mixing housing, wherein the at least one mixing apparatus includes a cyclonic mixing device, the cyclonic mixing device including:
 a cylindrical treatment fluid introduction chamber having a treatment fluid introduction chamber diameter D and cylindrical treatment fluid introduction chamber height h, the cylindrical treatment fluid introduction chamber having at least one axial treatment fluid introduction port and at least one cylindrical crude oil introduction port, the cylindrical crude oil introduction port located coaxial to the cylindrical treatment fluid introduction chamber and having an average diameter Dx, wherein Dx has a value that is between 20% and 80% of the diameter of the cylindrical treatment fluid introduction chamber; 
 an intermediate transit region contiguously connected to the cylindrical treatment fluid introduction chamber at a location distal to the cylindrical crude oil introduction port, the intermediate transit region having an outer wall that tapers from an upstream diameter D B  having a value equal to D to an intermediate transit region outlet, the intermediate transit region outlet having a downstream diameter D BC  having a value equal to Dx; and 
 a connection pipe contiguously connected to the intermediate transit region at a location distal to the cylindrical treatment fluid introduction chamber, the connection pipe having a connection pipe outlet having a connection pipe outlet. 
   
     
     
         15 . The crude oil treatment device component of  claim 14  further comprising: a venturi tube in fluid communication with the intermediate transit region outlet and projecting in an interior chamber defined by the connection pipe. 
     
     
         16 . The crude oil treatment device component of  claim 15  wherein the venturi tube comprises:
 a convergent cone located proximate to the outlet of the intermediate transit region of the cyclonic mixing device, the convergent cone having a convergent cone maximum diameter equal to the downstream diameter D BC  of the intermediate transit region outlet, having a slope between 1 in 4 and 1 in 5, the convergent cone having a length L V1  and a convergent cone minimum diameter that is between 10% and 50% less than the convergent cone maximum diameter; 
 a throat in fluid communication with a downstream section of the convergent cone; and 
 a divergent cone in fluid communication with the throat distal to the convergent cone, the divergent cone having a slope between 1 in 4 and 1 in 5 and a length L V2  that is less than L V1 . 
 
     
     
         17 . A process for delivering crude oil, the process comprising steps as follows:
 dewatering and degassing crude oil present in a crude oil stream emanating from a well head, the crude oil stream having a sulfur containing material content between 100 ppm and 400,000 ppm, the sulfur content comprising hydrogen sulfide and elemental sulfur;   after the degassing and dewatering the crude oil stream, delivering the crude oil stream into a crude oil delivery conduit system, the crude oil delivery conduit system having a crude oil conduit delivery system inlet and a crude oil conduit delivery system outlet, at least one fluid mixing mechanism positioned in the crude oil delivery conduit system, and at least one crude oil treatment composition delivery inlet, the crude oil conduit delivery inlet positioned between the inlet of the crude oil delivery conduit system and the at least one fluid mixing mechanism; and   delivering a metered volume of a treatment composition through the crude oil treatment composition inlet into contact with the crude oil stream transiting the crude oil delivery system;   wherein the crude oil transiting the crude oil delivery system upstream of the mixing mechanism comprises crude oil, between 1000 and 400,000 ppm sulfide content, an inorganic strong base component and at least one polar aprotic solvent,   and wherein the crude oil transiting the crude oil delivery system at a location downstream of the mixing mechanism comprises crude oil, less than 1000 ppm sulfide content and at least one inorganic sulfate.   
     
     
         18 . The process of  claim 17  further comprising the step of delivering crude oil having a sulfide content less than 1000 ppm to a sales volume metering device. 
     
     
         19 . The process of  claim 18  wherein the treatment composition comprises:
 between 0.5 and 8.0% by volume of an inorganic strong base component, wherein the inorganic strong base component is a hydroxide compound selected from the group consisting of Group I hydroxides, Group II hydroxides, and mixtures thereof; 
 between 0 and 5.0% by weight of a sulfite compound selected from the group consisting of Group I sulfite compounds, Group II sulfite compounds, and mixtures thereof; and 
 a polar protic solvent component having a boiling point between 50° C. and 150° C., a dielectric constant between 5 and 80. 
 
     
     
         20 . A treatment composition for reducing sulfur concentration in a crude oil material having a sulfide content greater than 1000 ppm, the treatment composition comprising:
 between 0.5 and 8.0% by volume of an inorganic strong base component, wherein the inorganic strong base component is a hydroxide compound selected from the group consisting of Group I hydroxides, Group II hydroxides, and mixtures thereof;   between 0 and 5.0% by weight of a sulfite compound selected from the group consisting of Group I sulfite compounds, Group II sulfite compounds, and mixtures thereof; and   a polar protic solvent component having a boiling point between 50° C. and 150° C., a dielectric constant between 5 and 80.   
     
     
         21 . The treatment composition of  claim 20  wherein the polar protic solvent component is selected from the group consisting of water, C-2 to C-6 substituted and unsubstituted alcohols, C-2 to C-6 substituted and unsubstituted carboxylic acids and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         22 . The treatment composition of  claim 21  wherein the inorganic strong base component is selected from the group consisting of sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide, calcium hydroxide and mixtures thereof.