N-vinylpyrrolidone-based cationic copolymer for separating an oil-in-water emulsion

• Main Authors: Yanjarappa M. J, Hoyles Stephen M, Boyer Cecile, Poindexter Michael K
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 12.09.2017
• Subjects: ADHESIVES; CHEMISTRY; CRACKING HYDROCARBON OILS; DIFFERENTIAL SEDIMENTATION; DYES; EARTH DRILLING; EARTH DRILLING, e.g. DEEP DRILLING; FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS; FLOTATION; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; MAGNETIC OR ELECTROSTATIC SEPARATION OF SOLID MATERIALS FROM SOLIDMATERIALS OR FLUIDS; MATERIALS FOR MISCELLANEOUS APPLICATIONS, NOT PROVIDED FORELSEWHERE; METALLURGY; MINERAL WAXES; MINING; MISCELLANEOUS APPLICATIONS OF MATERIALS; MISCELLANEOUS COMPOSITIONS; NATURAL RESINS; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR ASLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS; PAINTS; PEAT; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL; POLISHES; PRODUCTION OF LIQUID HYDROCARBON MIXTURES, e.g. BY DESTRUCTIVEHYDROGENATION, OLIGOMERISATION, POLYMERISATION; RECOVERY OF HYDROCARBON OILS FROM OIL-SHALE, OIL-SAND, ORGASES; REFINING MIXTURES MAINLY CONSISTING OF HYDROCARBONS; REFORMING OF NAPHTHA; SEPARATION; SEPARATION BY HIGH-VOLTAGE ELECTRIC FIELDS; SEPARATION OF SOLID MATERIALS USING LIQUIDS OR USING PNEUMATICTABLES OR JIGS; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; TRANSPORTING; TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE

Embodiments of the present disclosure include a method of separating an oil-in-water emulsion formed during crude oil production into a water phase and an oil phase that includes adding 1 part-per-million (ppm) to 10000 ppm of an N-vinylpyrrolidone based cationic copolymer to the oil-in-water emulsion, based on the total volume of the oil-in-water emulsion, to form a water phase and an oil phase, and separating the water phase from the oil phase.