METHOD OF REDUCING THE VISCOSITY OF HYDROCARBONS

Title:

METHOD OF REDUCING THE VISCOSITY OF HYDROCARBONS

Document Type and Number:

WIPO Patent Application WO/2011/049923

Kind Code:

A3

Abstract:

Methods of treating hydrocarbon fluids to reduce the apparent viscosity of hydrocarbon fluids encountered in petroleum operations and reducing deposits within a well annulus or a pipeline are disclosed. The method comprises contacting such fluids with a hydrophobically modified polysaccharide to create water external emulsions. The disclosed hydrophobically modified polysaccharides have been demonstrated to reduce interfacial tension to below 65 mN/m and thereby improve the transportability of inherently viscous hydrocarbon fluids, such as heavy crude oils.

Inventors:

FAUST MARCUS D JR (US)
WEATHERS THOMAS M JR (US)
NGUYEN DUY T (US)

Application Number:

PCT/US2010/053149

Publication Date:

August 18, 2011

Filing Date:

October 19, 2010

Export Citation:

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Assignee:

NALCO CO (US)
FAUST MARCUS D JR (US)
WEATHERS THOMAS M JR (US)
NGUYEN DUY T (US)

International Classes:

C09K8/588; C09K23/52; E21B43/16

Foreign References:

US20090186796A1	2009-07-23
US4529523A	1985-07-16
US5669456A	1997-09-23

Other References: