Reverse emulsion breaker polymers
View Patent ↗The present invention generally relates to methods for resolving water and oil emulsions in the produced fluid of an oil production system comprising adding a reverse emulsion breaker to the produced fluid of the crude oil production system in an amount effective for resolving an oil-in-water emulsion. In particular, these methods for resolving an oil-in-water emulsion can be used in separation processes where the oil and solids in the produced fluid are separated from the produced water in the produced fluid.
1. A reverse emulsion breaker comprising a terpolymer, the terpolymer comprising repeat units of Formulae 1, 2, and 3:
wherein
R 1 , R 2 , and R 3 are independently hydrogen or alkyl;
R 4 , R 5 , R 6 , R 7 , and R 8 are independently alkyl;
p is an integer from 1 to 6; and
m, n, and o are integers wherein the molecular weight of the terpolymer is from about 300,000 to about 1,300,000 Daltons and n is an integer providing from about 3 mole percent to about 89 mole percent of the repeat unit of Formula 2.
2. The reverse emulsion breaker of claim 1 , wherein R 1 and R 2 are hydrogen; R 3 is methyl; R 4 , R 5 , R 6 , R 7 , and R 8 are methyl, and p is 3.
3. The reverse emulsion breaker of claim 1 wherein R 1 , R 2 , and R 3 are independently hydrogen or methyl.
4. The reverse emulsion breaker of claim 3 wherein R 1 and R 2 are hydrogen.
5. The reverse emulsion breaker of claim 3 wherein R 4 , R 5 , R 6 , R 7 , and R 8 are independently methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, pentyl, or hexyl.
6. The reverse emulsion breaker of claim 5 wherein R 4 , R 5 , R 6 , R 7 , and R 8 are methyl.
7. The reverse emulsion breaker of claim 5 wherein p is 1 to 3.
8. The reverse emulsion breaker of claim 1 , wherein the molecular weight of the terpolymer is from about 800,000 to about 1,000,000 Daltons.
9. The reverse emulsion breaker of claim 1 wherein the reverse emulsion breaker is water-soluble.
10. A reverse emulsion breaker comprising a terpolymer, the terpolymer consisting essentially of repeat units of Formulae 1, 2, and 3:
wherein
R 1 , R 2 , and R 3 are independently hydrogen or alkyl;
R 4 and R 5 are independently methyl, ethyl, or propyl;
R 6 , R 7 , and R 8 are independently alkyl;
p is an integer from 1 to 6; and
m, n, and o are integers wherein the molecular weight of the terpolymer is from about 20,000 to about 20,000,000 Daltons.
11. The reverse emulsion breaker of claim 10 , wherein R 1 and R 2 are hydrogen; R 3 is methyl; R 4 , R 5 , R 6 , R 7 , and R 8 are methyl, and p is 3.
12. The reverse emulsion breaker of claim 10 wherein R 1 , R 2 , and R 3 are independently hydrogen or methyl.
13. The reverse emulsion breaker of claim 12 wherein R 1 and R 2 are hydrogen.
14. The reverse emulsion breaker of claim 12 wherein R 6 , R 7 , and R 8 are independently methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, pentyl, or hexyl.
15. The reverse emulsion breaker of claim 14 wherein R 4 , R 5 , R 6 , R 7 , and R 8 are methyl.
16. The reverse emulsion breaker of claim 14 wherein p is 1 to 3.
17. The reverse emulsion breaker of claim 10 , wherein the molecular weight of the terpolymer is from about 300,000 to about 1,300,000 Daltons.
18. The reverse emulsion breaker of claim 10 , wherein the molecular weight of the terpolymer is from about 800,000 to about 1,000,000 Daltons.
19. The reverse emulsion breaker of claim 10 wherein the reverse emulsion breaker is water-soluble.