Title:
A METHOD FOR RECOVERING WATER SOLUBLE SURFACTANTS
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO2001038695
Kind Code:
A3
Abstract:
Disclosed is a method for recovering and re-employing ionic surfactants from aqueous solutions and dispersions/emulsions of water and liquid hydrocarbons by the addition of a second polar phase as well as an inorganic salt which causes the preferred partitioning of the surfactant by providing a preferred ionic strength phase for the surfactant. More specifically, the method applies to recovering hydrate growth inhibitor/modifying compounds, comprising cationic surfactant, such as, for example, ammonium, phosphonium, and sulphonium alkylated compounds, which have been added to a fluid effluent of a hydrocarbon production well, the effluent including water, hydrate inhibitor compound, at least one additional polar solvent, and inorganic salt, by a method comprising adding sufficient additional ions of inorganic salt and, if necessary, an alcohol/glycol to the effluent to form a second polar phase, less polar than the aqueous phase, into which the hydrate inhibitor can then dissolve and be separated from the brine.
Inventors:
BLYTAS GEORGE CONSTANTINE (US)
KRUKA VITOLD RAIMOND (US)
KRUKA VITOLD RAIMOND (US)
Application Number:
PCT/US2000/032102
Publication Date:
December 20, 2001
Filing Date:
November 21, 2000
Export Citation:
Assignee:
SHELL OIL CO (US)
SHELL INT RESEARCH (NL)
SHELL CANADA LTD (CA)
BLYTAS GEORGE CONSTANTINE (US)
KRUKA VITOLD RAIMOND (US)
SHELL INT RESEARCH (NL)
SHELL CANADA LTD (CA)
BLYTAS GEORGE CONSTANTINE (US)
KRUKA VITOLD RAIMOND (US)
International Classes:
C09K8/52; (IPC1-7): E21B37/06
Domestic Patent References:
| WO1995017579A1 | 1995-06-29 | |||
| WO1996034177A1 | 1996-10-31 |
Foreign References:
| US5648575A | 1997-07-15 | |||
| US5632336A | 1997-05-27 | |||
| EP0442767A1 | 1991-08-21 |
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