HYDROCARBON SOLVENT-BASED DISPERSANT FORMULATION AND ITS USE IN THE DISPERSION OF VISCOUS OIL SPILLS

摘要

A hydrocarbon solvent-based dispersant formulation which combines heavy oil penetrability, activity on oil spills on either fresh or salt water, and the density and viscosity required for controllable aerial spray application is provided by the combination of sorbitan monoesters of C10-C20 aliphatic carboxylic acids and polyoxyalkylene adducts thereof, polyoxyalkylene adducts of sorbitan triesters of C10-C20 aliphatic carboxylic acids, and a water-dispersible salt of a dialkyl sulfosuccinate dissolved in an isoparaffinic hydrocarbon. The addition of a viscosity modifying solvent may be advantageous for adjusting the formulation to needs of specific aerial application procedures.