Method of reducing the viscosity of hydrocarbons

摘要

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.

主权项

1. A method for reducing the apparent viscosity of a hydrocarbon fluid comprising heavy crude oil encountered in petroleum operations having an American Petroleum Institute (API) gravity of about 20 or less, the method comprising:
(i) contacting said hydrocarbon fluid with an effective emulsifying amount of a composition comprising at least one hydrophobically modified non-ionic polymer having the general formula below:wherein each R is independently hydrogen, an alkyl group, an aryl group, an hydroxyalkyl group, or an alkoxy group, and n is from 5 to 5,000; and
(ii) creating a water external emulsion comprising the hydrocarbon fluid and the composition wherein the water external emulsion has a lower apparent viscosity than the hydrocarbon fluid.