Stabilized polymer drag reducing agent slurries

1. A method for producing a stabilized polymer drag reducing agent slurry comprising combining a fatty acid wax and a liquid carrier to form a dispersion; pre-treating the dispersion by heating to partially dissolve the fatty acid wax in the liquid carrier; and combining therewith a particulate polymer drag reducing agent to form a stabilized polymer drag reducing agent slurry.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the fatty acid wax is selected from the group consisting of stearic acid; Groups 1, 2, 12, and 13 metal salts of stearic acid; stearic acid amides; and stearic acid esters.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the fatty acid wax is selected from the group consisting of magnesium stearate, calcium stearate, zinc stearate, aluminum stearate, sodium stearate, potassium stearate, ethylene bis-stearamide, stearamide, ethylene glycol monostearate, ethylene glycol distearate, propylene glycol monostearate, propylene glycol distearate, glycerol stearate, glycerol distearate, glycerol tristearate, diethylene glycol distearate, stearic anhydride, and combinations thereof.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the liquid carrier is selected from the group consisting of aqueous and non-aqueous liquids.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the liquid carrier is selected from water; alcohols and fatty alcohols, glycols and diols; glycol ethers; glycol esters; and mixtures thereof.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the proportion of fatty acid wax to liquid carrier is from about 0.005:1 to about 0.200:1 by weight prior to pre-treatment.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein from about 0.5 percent to about 99 percent by weight of the fatty acid wax is dissolved in the liquid carrier during the pre-treatment.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein from about 1 to about 10 percent by weight of the fatty acid wax is dissolved in the liquid carrier during the pre-treatment.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one additional component selected from the group consisting of partitioning agents, wetting agents, and rheology modifiers is included in the stabilized polymer drag reducing agent slurry.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the fatty acid wax ranges from about 0.1 to about 30 percent by weight, based on the weight of the slurry.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the polymer drag reducing agent is stabilized against settling, separation, agglomeration, or a combination thereof.

12. A stabilized polymer drag reducing agent slurry prepared by a method comprising combining a fatty acid wax and a liquid carrier to form a dispersion; pre-treating the dispersion by heating to partially dissolve the fatty acid wax in the liquid carrier where at least about 0.5 percent by weight of the fatty acid is dissolved; and combining therewith a particulate polymer drag reducing agent to form a stabilized polymer drag reducing agent slurry.

13. The slurry of claim 12 wherein the fatty acid wax is selected from the group consisting of stearic acid; Groups 1, 2, 12, and 13 metal salts of stearic acid; stearic acid amides; and stearic acid esters.

14. The slurry of claim 13 wherein the fatty acid wax is selected from the group consisting of magnesium stearate, calcium stearate, zinc stearate, aluminum stearate, sodium stearate, potassium stearate, ethylene bis-stearamide, stearamide, ethylene glycol monostearate, ethylene glycol distearate, propylene glycol monostearate, propylene glycol distearate, glycerol stearate, glycerol distearate, glycerol tristearate, diethylene glycol distearate, stearic anhydride, and mixtures thereof.

15. The slurry of claim 12 wherein the liquid carrier is selected from the group consisting of aqueous and non-aqueous liquids.

16. The slurry of claim 15 wherein the liquid carrier is selected from water; alcohols and fatty alcohols, glycols and diols; glycol ethers; glycol esters; and mixtures thereof.

17. The slurry of claim 12 wherein the proportion of fatty acid wax to liquid carrier is from about 0.005:1 to about 0.200:1 by weight prior to pre-treatment.

18. The slurry of claim 12 wherein from about 0.5 percent to about 99 percent by weight of the fatty acid wax is dissolved in the liquid carrier during the pre-treatment.

19. The slurry of claim 18 wherein from about 1 to about 10 percent by weight of the fatty acid wax is dissolved in the liquid carrier during the pre-treatment.

20. The slurry of claim 12 wherein at least one additional component selected from the group consisting of partitioning agents, wetting agents, and rheology modifiers is included in the stabilized polymer drag reducing agent slurry.

21. The slurry of claim 12 wherein the fatty acid wax ranges from about 0.1 to about 30 percent by weight, based on the weight of the slurry.

22. The slurry of claim 12 wherein the polymer drag reducing agent is stabilized against settling, separation, agglomeration, or a combination thereof.

23. A method of reducing drag in a hydrocarbon stream comprising incorporating a stabilized polymer drag reducing agent slurry in a hydrocarbon stream, the stabilized polymer drag reducing agent slurry having been prepared by a method comprising combining a fatty acid wax and a liquid carrier to form a dispersion; pre-treating the dispersion by heating to partially dissolve the fatty acid wax in the liquid carrier where at least about 0.5 percent by weight of the fatty acid is dissolved; and combining therewith a particulate polymer drag reducing agent to form the stabilized polymer drag reducing agent slurry where the stabilized polymer drag reducing agent slurry has increased viscosity as compared to a slurry where no fatty acid wax is dissolved.

24. A method for producing a stabilized polymer drag reducing agent slurry comprising combining a fatty acid wax selected from the group consisting of stearic acid; Groups 1, 2, 12, and 13 metal salts of stearic acid; stearic acid amides; and stearic acid esters; and a liquid carrier selected from water; alcohols and fatty alcohols, glycols and diols; glycol ethers; glycol esters; and mixtures thereof; to form a dispersion; pre-treating the dispersion by heating to partially dissolve the fatty acid wax in the liquid carrier; and combining therewith a particulate polymer drag reducing agent to form a stabilized polymer drag reducing agent slurry.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the fatty acid wax is selected from the group consisting of magnesium stearate, calcium stearate, zinc stearate, aluminum stearate, sodium stearate, potassium stearate, ethylene bis-stearamide, stearamide, ethylene glycol monostearate, ethylene glycol distearate, propylene glycol monostearate, propylene glycol distearate, glycerol stearate, glycerol distearate, glycerol tristearate, diethylene glycol distearate, stearic anhydride, and combinations thereof.

26. The method of claim 24 wherein the proportion of fatty acid wax to liquid carrier is from about 0.005:1 to about 0.200:1 by weight prior to pre-treatment; and wherein from about 0.5 percent to about 99 percent by weight of the fatty acid wax is dissolved in the liquid carrier during the pre-treatment; and wherein the fatty acid wax ranges from about 0.1 to about 30 percent by weight, based on the weight of the slurry; and wherein the polymer drag reducing agent is stabilized against settling, separation, agglomeration, or a combination thereof.

27. A stabilized polymer drag reducing agent slurry prepared by a method comprising combining a fatty acid wax selected from the group consisting of stearic acid; Groups 1, 2, 12, and 13 metal salts of stearic acid; stearic acid amides; and stearic acid esters; and a liquid carrier selected from water; alcohols and fatty alcohols, glycols and diols; glycol ethers; glycol esters; and mixtures thereof; to form a dispersion; pre-treating the dispersion by heating to partially dissolve the fatty acid wax in the liquid carrier where at least about 0.5 percent by weight of the fatty acid is dissolved; and combining therewith a particulate polymer drag reducing agent to form a stabilized polymer drag reducing agent slurry, wherein the fatty acid wax is selected from the group consisting of zinc stearate, aluminum stearate, sodium stearate, potassium stearate, ethylene bis-stearamide, stearamide, ethylene glycol monostearate, ethylene glycol distearate, propylene glycol monostearate, propylene glycol distearate, glycerol stearate, glycerol distearate, glycerol tristearate, diethylene glycol distearate, stearic anhydride, and combinations thereof.

28. The slurry of claim 27 wherein the proportion of fatty acid wax to liquid carrier is from about 0.005 to about 0.200:1 by weight prior to pre-treatment; and wherein from about 0.5 percent to about 99 percent by weight of the fatty acid wax is dissolved in the liquid carrier during the pre-treatment; and wherein the fatty acid wax ranges from about 0.1 to about 30 percent by weight, based on the weight of the slurry; and wherein the polymer drag reducing agent is stabilized against settling, separation, agglomeration, or a combination thereof.

29. A method of reducing drag in a hydrocarbon stream comprising incorporating a stabilized polymer drag reducing agent slurry in a hydrocarbon stream, the stabilized polymer drag reducing agent slurry having been prepared by a method comprising combining a fatty acid wax selected from the group consisting of stearic acid; Groups 1, 2, 12, and 13 metal salts of stearic acid; stearic acid amides; and stearic acid esters; and a liquid carrier selected from water; alcohols and fatty alcohols, glycols and diols; glycol ethers; glycol esters; and mixtures thereof; to form a dispersion; pre-treating the dispersion by heating to partially dissolve the fatty acid wax in the liquid carrier where at least about 0.5 percent by weight of the fatty acid is dissolved; and combining therewith a particulate polymer drag reducing agent to form a stabilized polymer drag reducing agent slurry where the stabilized polymer drag reducing agent slurry has increased viscosity as compared to a slurry where no fatty acid wax is dissolved.