Process for well fluids base oil via metathesis of alpha-olefins

Abstract

Disclosed is a process for preparation of compositions having utility as well fluid base oils. The process involves metathesis of alpha-olefins followed by isomerization of the metathesis products. The base oils resulting from the process of this invention are environmentally friendly in that they are only mildly toxic to marine life and have very low pour point temperatures. These properties make the base oils ideal candidates for use as components of well fluids for cold climates and offshore applications.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A process for production of valuable liquid products suitable for use as at least one component in low pour point temperature and low toxicity well fluid base oils comprising the steps of: 
 (i) providing a predominantly linear alpha-olefins feed wherein said alpha-olefins have from about 4 to about 22 carbon atoms,    (ii) subjecting said feed to metathesis conditions in the presence of a metathesis catalyst so as to form valuable liquid metathesis products and gaseous ethylene as a by-product,    (iii) separating the valuable liquid metathesis products from the gaseous ethylene so as to drive the reaction to completion and permit recovery of the valuable liquid metathesis products,    (iv) optionally, further purifying the liquid metathesis products from step (iii), and    (v) subjecting a feed comprising about 10 to 100 weight percent of the product selected from step (iii), step (iv) and mixtures thereof to isomerization conditions in the presence of an isomerization catalyst.    
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the metathesis catalyst comprises rhenium.  
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the metathesis temperature is in the range of about 10° C. to about 150° C.  
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 1  wherein the gaseous ethylene by-product is removed by deployment of an inert gas purge of the metathesis reactor during the linear alpha-olefin metathesis  
     
     
         5 . The product made by the process of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         6 . A well fluid base oil comprising the product of  claim 5 .  
     
     
         7 . A process for production of valuable liquid products suitable for use as at least one component in low pour point temperature and low toxicity well fluid base oils comprising the steps of: 
 (i) providing a predominantly linear alpha-olefins feed wherein said alpha-olefins have from about 4 to about 22 carbon atoms,    (ii) subjecting said feed to metathesis conditions in the presence of a heterogeneous supported metathesis catalyst so as to form valuable liquid metathesis products and gaseous ethylene as a by-product,    (iii) separating the valuable liquid metathesis products from the gaseous ethylene so as to drive the reaction to completion and permit recovery of the valuable liquid metathesis products,    (iv) optionally, further purifying the liquid metathesis products from step (iii), and    (v) optionally, subjecting a feed comprising about 10 to 100 weight percent of the product selected from step (iii), step (iv) and mixtures thereof to isomerization conditions in the presence of an isomerization catalyst.    
     
     
         8 . The process of  claim 7  wherein the metathesis catalyst comprises rhenium.  
     
     
         9 . The process of  claim 7  wherein the metathesis temperature is in the range of about 10° C. to about 150° C.  
     
     
         10 . The process of  claim 7  wherein the gaseous ethylene by-product is removed by deployment of an inert gas purge of the metathesis reactor during the linear alpha-olefin metathesis.  
     
     
         11 . The product made by the process of  claim 7 .  
     
     
         12 . A well fluid base oil comprising the product of  claim 7 .  
     
     
         13 . A process for production of specialty linear internal olefins comprising the steps of: 
 (i) providing a predominantly linear alpha-olefins feed wherein said alpha-olefins have from about 4 to about 22 carbon atoms,    (ii) subjecting said feed to metathesis conditions in the presence of a heterogeneous supported metathesis catalyst so as to form valuable liquid specialty linear internal olefins and gaseous ethylene as a by-product,    (iii) separating the valuable liquid specialty internal olefin products from the gaseous ethylene so as to drive the reaction to completion and recover the valuable liquid specialty internal olefin products, and    (iv) optionally, further purifying the liquid specialty internal olefins metathesis products from step (iii).    
     
     
         14 . The process of  claim 13  wherein the metathesis catalyst comprises rhenium.  
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 13  wherein the metathesis temperature is in the range of about 10° C. to about 150° C.  
     
     
         16 . The process of  claim 13  wherein the gaseous ethylene by-product is removed by deployment of an inert gas purge of the metathesis reactor during the linear alpha-olefin metathesis  
     
     
         17 . The product made by the process of  claim 13 .  
     
     
         18 . A well fluid base oil comprising the product of  claim 17 .  
     
     
         19 . A lube oil additive comprising the product of  claim 17 .  
     
     
         20 . A lube oil comprising the product of  claim 17 .  
     
     
         21 . A lube oil comprising the hydrogenated product of  claim 17 .  
     
     
         22 . A metal working lubricant comprising the product of  claim 17 .  
     
     
         23 . A metal working lubricant comprising the hydrogenated product of  claim 17 .  
     
     
         24 . A component of a metal working fluid comprising the product of  claim 17 .  
     
     
         25 . A surfactant comprising product formed by chemically adding a polar group to the product of  claim 17 .  
     
     
         26 . An alkenyl succinic anhydride compound formed by chemically reacting maleic anhydride with a feed comprising the product of  claim 17 .  
     
     
         27 . A plasticizer comprising the product of  claim 17.