US 12,247,172 B2
Remediation of rag layer and other disposable layers in oil tanks and storage equipment
Sean Farmer, Ft. Lauderdale, FL (US); Ken Alibek, Solon, OH (US); Kent Adams, Oro Valley, AZ (US); and Karthik N. Karathur, Solon, OH (US)
Assigned to LOCUS SOLUTIONS IPCO, LLC, Solon, OH (US)
Filed by Locus Solutions IPCo, LLC, Solon, OH (US)
Filed on Feb. 22, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/584,542.
Application 18/584,542 is a continuation of application No. 18/088,685, filed on Dec. 26, 2022, granted, now 11,920,091.
Application 18/088,685 is a continuation of application No. 16/617,208, granted, now 11,549,067, issued on Jan. 10, 2023, previously published as PCT/US2018/037054, filed on Jun. 12, 2018.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/518,217, filed on Jun. 12, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2024/0191146 A1, Jun. 13, 2024
Int. Cl. E21B 43/26 (2006.01); B01D 17/04 (2006.01); C02F 1/50 (2023.01); C02F 3/34 (2023.01); C09K 8/58 (2006.01); C09K 8/66 (2006.01); C09K 8/84 (2006.01); C10G 32/00 (2006.01); C10G 33/04 (2006.01); C12N 1/16 (2006.01); C12P 19/44 (2006.01); C02F 101/32 (2006.01); C02F 103/10 (2006.01)
CPC C10G 32/00 (2013.01) [B01D 17/047 (2013.01); C02F 1/50 (2013.01); C02F 3/347 (2013.01); C09K 8/58 (2013.01); C09K 8/66 (2013.01); C09K 8/84 (2013.01); C10G 33/04 (2013.01); C12N 1/16 (2013.01); C12P 19/44 (2013.01); E21B 43/26 (2013.01); C02F 2101/32 (2013.01); C02F 2103/10 (2013.01); C02F 2303/22 (2013.01); C02F 2305/04 (2013.01); C10G 2300/1033 (2013.01); C10G 2300/208 (2013.01)] 9 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of demulsifying and de-salting a heavy crude oil fluids, comprising: recovering the heavy crude oil fluid from a formation, wherein said recovered heavy crude oil fluid comprises one or more impurities and a water-oil or oil-water emulsion, and wherein said one or more impurities comprise a salt;
contacting a composition comprising a sophorolipid with the recovered heavy crude oil fluid for a time period until the water-oil or oil-water emulsion demulsifies into a water phase and a hydrocarbon phase and the one or more impurities separate from the hydrocarbon phase; and
extracting the water phase and the one or more impurities from the hydrocarbon phase; and
transporting the hydrocarbon phase to an oil refinery for refining.