| Patent application number | Description | Published |
|---|
| 20110062058 | METHOD FOR DETERMINING ASPHALTENE STABILITY OF A HYDROCARBON-CONTAINING MATERIAL - A method for determining asphaltene stability in a hydrocarbon-containing material having solvated asphaltenes therein is disclosed. The method involves the steps of: (a) precipitating an amount of the asphaltenes from a liquid sample of the hydrocarbon-containing material with an alkane mobile phase solvent in a column; (b) dissolving a first amount and a second amount of the precipitated asphaltenes by gradually and continuously changing the alkane mobile phase solvent to a final mobile phase solvent having a solubility parameter at least 1 MPa | 03-17-2011 |
| 20110066441 | METHOD FOR PREDICTING REACTIVITY OF A HYDROCARBON-CONTAINING FEEDSTOCK FOR HYDROPROCESSING - Disclosed herein is a method involving the steps of (a) precipitating an amount of asphaltenes from a liquid sample of a first hydrocarbon-containing feedstock having solvated asphaltenes therein with one or more first solvents in a column; (b) determining one or more solubility characteristics of the precipitated asphaltenes; (c) analyzing the one or more solubility characteristics of the precipitated asphaltenes; and (d) correlating a measurement of feedstock reactivity for the first hydrocarbon-containing feedstock sample with a mathematical parameter derived from the results of analyzing the one or more solubility characteristics of the precipitated asphaltenes. | 03-17-2011 |
| 20110077311 | METHOD FOR HANDLING VISCOUS LIQUID CRUDE HYDROCARBONS - A method for handling viscous liquid crude hydrocarbons is disclosed. The method involves (a) obtaining an emulsion comprising an aqueous fraction and a liquid crude hydrocarbon fraction, wherein the liquid crude hydrocarbon fraction has a first viscosity and contains an oil-soluble compound that reversibly converts to a surfactant under basic conditions, and further wherein the emulsion has a second viscosity that is less than the first viscosity of the liquid crude hydrocarbon fraction; and (b) breaking the emulsion by contacting the emulsion with a carbon dioxide-containing material to convert at least a portion of the surfactant to the oil-soluble compound. | 03-31-2011 |
| 20120090220 | Method and System for Processing Viscous Liquid Crude Hydrocarbons - A method and system for handling viscous liquid crude hydrocarbons is disclosed. The method involves (a) solvent deasphalting at least a portion of an asphaltene-containing liquid crude hydrocarbon feedstock to form an asphaltene fraction and a deasphalted oil (DAO) fraction essentially free of asphaltenes; (b) adjusting the density of the asphaltene fraction to substantially the same density of a carrier for the asphaltene fraction; (c) forming coated asphaltene particles from the asphaltene fraction of step (b); (d) slurrying the coated asphaltene particles with the carrier; and (e) transporting the slurry to a treatment facility or a transportation carrier. | 04-19-2012 |
| 20120160015 | METHODS FOR PREDICTING FOULING TENDENCIES OF HYDROCARBON CONTAINING FEEDSTOCKS - Disclosed is a method involving the steps of (a) precipitating an amount of asphaltenes from a liquid sample of a first hydrocarbon-containing feedstock having solvated asphaltenes therein with one or more first solvents in a column; (b) determining one or more solubility characteristics of the precipitated asphaltenes; (c) analyzing the one or more solubility characteristics of the precipitated asphaltenes; and (d) correlating a measurement of feedstock fouling tendencies for the first hydrocarbon-containing feedstock sample with a mathematical parameter derived from the results of analyzing the one or more solubility characteristics of the precipitated asphaltenes. | 06-28-2012 |
| 20130118951 | METHOD FOR PREDICTING CATALYST PERFORMANCE - Disclosed herein is a method involving the steps of: (a) precipitating an amount of polyaromatic compounds from a liquid sample of a first hydrocarbon-containing feedstock having solvated polyaromatic compounds therein with one or more first solvents in a column; (b) determining one or more solubility characteristics of the precipitated polyaromatic compounds; (c) analyzing the one or more solubility characteristics of the precipitated polyaromatic compounds; and (d) correlating a measurement of catalyst activity performance for the first hydrocarbon-containing feedstock sample with a mathematical parameter derived from the results of analyzing the one or more solubility characteristics of the precipitated polyaromatic compounds to predict catalyst performance of a catalyst in a refinery operation of the hydrocarbon-containing feedstock. | 05-16-2013 |
| 20130124105 | METHOD FOR PREDICTING SEDIMENT CONTENT OF A HYDROPROCESSED HYDROCARBON PRODUCT - Disclosed herein is a method of predicting sediment content of a hydroprocessed hydrocarbon product. The method involves: (a) precipitating an amount of asphaltenes from a liquid sample of a first hydrocarbon-containing feedstock having solvated asphaltenes therein with one or more first solvents; (b) determining one or more solubility characteristics of the precipitated asphaltenes; (c) analyzing the one or more solubility characteristics; (d) determining asphaltene content of the liquid sample from the results of analyzing the one or more solubility characteristics; (e) determining one or more asphaltene stability parameters of the liquid sample from the results of analyzing the one or more solubility characteristics; and (f) correlating the asphaltene content and one of the asphaltene stability parameters of the liquid sample with at least two operation conditions associated with a refinery to predict sediment content. | 05-16-2013 |
| 20130124106 | METHOD FOR ESTIMATING SEDIMENT CONTENT OF A HYDROPROCESSED HYDROCARBON-CONTAINING FEEDSTOCK - Disclosed herein is a method of estimating sediment content of a hydroprocessed hydrocarbon-containing feedstock. The method involves the steps of: (a) precipitating an amount of asphaltenes from a liquid sample of a first hydroprocessed hydrocarbon-containing feedstock having solvated asphaltenes therein with one or more first solvents in a column; (b) determining one or more solubility characteristics of the precipitated asphaltenes; (c) analyzing the one or more solubility characteristics of the precipitated asphaltenes; (d) determining asphaltene content of the liquid sample from the results of analyzing the one or more solubility characteristics of the precipitated asphaltenes; (e) determining one or more asphaltene stability parameters of the liquid sample from the results of analyzing the one or more solubility characteristics of the precipitated asphaltenes; and (f) correlating the asphaltene content and one of the asphaltene stability parameters of the liquid sample to estimate sediment content of the liquid sample. | 05-16-2013 |
| 20140130581 | METHOD FOR DETERMINING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF ASPHALTENE DISPERSANT ADDITIVES FOR INHIBITING OR PREVENTING ASPHALTENE PRECIPITATION IN A HYDROCARBON-CONTAINING MATERIAL SUBJECTED TO ELEVATED TEMPERATURE AND PRESSURE CONDITIONS - Disclosed herein is a method for determining the effectiveness of one or more asphaltene dispersant additives for inhibiting or preventing asphaltene precipitation in a hydrocarbon-containing material subjected to elevated temperature and pressure conditions. | 05-15-2014 |
| 20140262225 | OIL EXTRACTION USING RADIO FREQUENCY HEATING - Oil extraction from an oil-bearing formation includes: heating a first portion of the formation containing oil with radio frequency energy; extracting the oil from the first portion of the formation; injecting steam into the first portion of the formation to heat a second portion of the formation containing oil adjacent the first portion; and extracting the oil from the second portion of the formation. | 09-18-2014 |
