Use of amines in heavy oil transport

Abstract

Provided herein are, inter alia, heavy crude oil emulsion compositions and methods of making the same. The compositions and methods provided herein are particularly useful for the transport of heavy crude oils.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A heavy crude oil emulsion comprising a heavy crude oil, water and a co-solvent, wherein said co-solvent is an alkylamine or a compound having the formula: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein
 R 1A  and R 1B  are independently hydrogen, unsubstituted C 1 -C 8  alkyl, unsubstituted cycloalkyl, unsubstituted heterocycloalkyl, unsubstituted aryl, unsubstituted heteroaryl, C 1 -C 6  alkylamine or 
 
       
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         
           R 2  and R 3  are independently hydrogen or unsubstituted C 1 -C 2  alkyl; 
           n is an integer from 1 to 30; 
           m is an integer from 1 to 30; and 
           wherein said heavy crude oil emulsion is within a transport vessel. 
         
       
     
     
         2 . The heavy crude oil emulsion of  claim 1 , wherein R 1A  and R 1B  are independently unsubstituted C 1 -C 6  alkyl. 
     
     
         3 . The heavy crude oil emulsion of one of  claims 1 , wherein n is an integer from 1 to 10. 
     
     
         4 . The heavy crude oil emulsion of  claim 1 , wherein m is 1 to 6. 
     
     
         5 . The heavy crude oil emulsion of  claim 1 , wherein R 1A  and R 1B  are independently hydrogen or C 2 -C 6  alkylamine. 
     
     
         6 . The heavy crude oil emulsion of  claim 5 , wherein R 1A  is hydrogen and R 1B  is C 4 -C 6  alkylamine. 
     
     
         7 . The heavy crude oil emulsion of  claim 1 , wherein said alkylamine is an alkylpolyamine. 
     
     
         8 . The heavy crude oil emulsion of  claim 1 , wherein said compound has the formula: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein
 R 2  is methyl or ethyl; 
 o is an integer from 0 to 15; and 
 p is an integer from 1 to 10. 
 
       
     
     
         9 . The heavy crude oil emulsion of  claim 1 , wherein said heavy crude oil is an asphaltene. 
     
     
         10 . The heavy crude oil emulsion of  claim 1 , further comprising a surfactant. 
     
     
         11 . The heavy crude oil emulsion of  claim 1 , further comprising an alkali agent. 
     
     
         12 . The heavy crude oil emulsion of  claim 1 , further comprising a salt. 
     
     
         13 . The heavy crude oil emulsion of  claim 1 , wherein said emulsion is at a transport temperature. 
     
     
         14 . A method of forming a heavy crude oil emulsion, said method comprising:
 (i) contacting a heavy crude oil extracted from an oil reservoir with a co-solvent and water at an emulsion forming temperature, thereby forming a high temperature heavy crude oil emulsion;   (ii) allowing said high temperature heavy crude oil emulsion to cool to a transport temperature, thereby forming a heavy crude oil emulsion;   wherein said co-solvent is an alkylamine or a compound having the formula:   
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein
 R 1A  and R 1B  are independently hydrogen, unsubstituted C 1 -C 8  alkyl, unsubstituted cycloalkyl, unsubstituted heterocycloalkyl, unsubstituted aryl, unsubstituted heteroaryl, C 1 -C 6  alkylamine or 
 
       
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         
           R 2  and R 3  are independently hydrogen or unsubstituted C 1 -C 2  alkyl; 
           n is an integer from 1 to 30; and 
           m is an integer from 1 to 30. 
         
       
     
     
         15 . A method of transporting a heavy crude oil, comprising:
 (i) extracting a heavy crude oil from an oil reservoir, thereby forming an extracted heavy crude oil;   (ii) contacting said extracted heavy crude oil with a co-solvent and water at an emulsion forming temperature, thereby forming a high temperature heavy crude oil emulsion;   (iii) allowing said high temperature heavy crude oil emulsion to cool to a transport temperature, thereby forming a heavy crude oil emulsion;   (iv) transporting said heavy crude oil emulsion from a first location to a second location, thereby transporting said heavy crude oil;   wherein said co-solvent is an alkylamine or a compound having the formula:   
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein
 R 1A  and R 1B  are independently hydrogen, unsubstituted C 1 -C 8  alkyl, unsubstituted cycloalkyl, unsubstituted heterocycloalkyl, unsubstituted aryl, unsubstituted heteroaryl, C 1 -C 6  alkylamine or 
 
       
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         
           R 2  and R 3  are independently hydrogen or unsubstituted C 1 -C 2  alkyl; 
           n is an integer from 1 to 30; and 
           m is an integer from 1 to 30. 
         
       
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said first location is a production well. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said transporting of step (iv) is performed in a vessel. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein said vessel is a pipeline. 
     
     
         19 . A method of forming a heavy crude oil emulsion in a production well, said method comprising contacting an extracted heavy crude oil in a production well with a co-solvent and water, thereby forming a heavy crude oil emulsion in the production well,
 wherein said co-solvent is an alkylamine or a compound having the formula:   
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein
 R 1A  and R 1B  are independently hydrogen, unsubstituted C 1 -C 8  alkyl, unsubstituted cycloalkyl, unsubstituted heterocycloalkyl, unsubstituted aryl, unsubstituted heteroaryl, C 1 -C 6  alkylamine or 
 
       
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         
           R 2  and R 3  are independently hydrogen or unsubstituted C 1 -C 2  alkyl; 
           n is an integer from 1 to 30; and 
           m is an integer from 1 to 30. 
         
       
     
     
         20 . A method of transporting an extracted heavy crude oil from a production well, comprising:
 (i) contacting an extracted heavy crude oil in a production well with a co-solvent, and water at an emulsion forming temperature, thereby forming a heavy crude oil emulsion in a production well;   (ii) transporting said heavy crude oil emulsion from said production well to the surface, thereby transporting said extracted heavy crude oil from said production well,   wherein said co-solvent is an alkylamine or a compound having the formula:   
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein
 R 1A  and R 1B  are independently hydrogen, unsubstituted C 1 -C 8  alkyl, unsubstituted cycloalkyl, unsubstituted heterocycloalkyl, unsubstituted aryl, unsubstituted heteroaryl, C 1 -C 6  alkylamine or 
 
       
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         
           R 2  and R 3  are independently hydrogen or unsubstituted C 1 -C 2  alkyl; 
           n is an integer from 1 to 30; and 
           m is an integer from 1 to 30. 
         
       
     
     
         21 . A heavy crude oil emulsion comprising an amphiphilic co-solvent, a first phase and a second phase, wherein said first phase comprises an oil-immiscible compound and said second phase comprises a heavy crude oil;
 wherein said amphiphilic co-solvent is an alkylamine or a compound having the formula:   
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein
 R 1A  and R 1B  are independently hydrogen, unsubstituted C 1 -C 8  alkyl, unsubstituted cycloalkyl, unsubstituted heterocycloalkyl, unsubstituted aryl, unsubstituted heteroaryl, C 1 -C 6  alkylamine or 
 
       
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         
           R 2  and R 3  are independently hydrogen or unsubstituted C 1 -C 2  alkyl; 
           n is an integer from 1 to 30; and 
           m is an integer from 1 to 30. 
         
       
     
     
         22 . The heavy crude oil emulsion of  claim 21 , wherein said heavy crude oil emulsion does not comprise water. 
     
     
         23 . The heavy crude oil emulsion of  claim 21 , wherein said amphiphilic co-solvent is present in said first phase and said second phase. 
     
     
         24 . A method of forming a heavy crude oil emulsion, said method comprising:
 (i) contacting a heavy crude oil extracted from an oil reservoir with an oil-immiscible compound and an amphiphilic co-solvent at an emulsion forming temperature, thereby forming a high temperature heavy crude oil emulsion;   (ii) allowing said high temperature heavy crude oil emulsion to cool to a transport temperature, thereby forming a heavy crude oil emulsion;   wherein said amphiphilic co-solvent is an alkylamine or a compound having the formula:   
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein
 R 1A  and R 1B  are independently hydrogen, unsubstituted C 1 -C 8  alkyl, unsubstituted cycloalkyl, unsubstituted heterocycloalkyl, unsubstituted aryl, unsubstituted heteroaryl, C 1 -C 6  alkylamine or 
 
       
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         
           R 2  and R 3  are independently hydrogen or unsubstituted C 1 -C 2  alkyl; 
           n is an integer from 1 to 30; and 
           m is an integer from 1 to 30. 
         
       
     
     
         25 . A method of transporting an extracted heavy crude oil from a production well, comprising:
 (i) contacting an extracted heavy crude oil in a production well with an oil-immiscible compound, and an amphiphilic co-solvent at an emulsion forming temperature, thereby forming a heavy crude oil emulsion in a production well;   (ii) transporting said heavy crude oil emulsion from said production well to the surface, thereby transporting said extracted heavy crude oil from said production well;   wherein said amphiphilic co-solvent is an alkylamine or a compound having the formula:   
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein
 R 1A  and R 1B  are independently hydrogen, unsubstituted C 1 -C 8  alkyl, unsubstituted cycloalkyl, unsubstituted heterocycloalkyl, unsubstituted aryl, unsubstituted heteroaryl, C 1 -C 6  alkylamine or 
 
       
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         
           R 2  and R 3  are independently hydrogen or unsubstituted C 1 -C 2  alkyl; 
           n is an integer from 1 to 30; and 
           m is an integer from 1 to 30.