Alcohol-based hemi-formyls for hydrogen sulfide scavenging

Abstract

Scavenging compounds and compositions useful in applications relating to the production, transportation, storage, and separation of crude oil and natural gas are disclosed. Also disclosed herein are methods of using the compounds and compositions as scavengers, particularly in applications relating to the production, transportation, storage, and separation of crude oil and natural gas.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of sweetening a fluid, comprising:
 treating the fluid with a hemi-formyl of formula (I):
   R 1 —O—[—CH 2 —O—] x —H;  (I)
 
   wherein R 1  is C 1 -C 3  alkyl; and x is from 1 to 10.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein x is from 1 to 5. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein x is from 1 to 3. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein x is 2. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein x is 1. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein R 1  is C 1  or C 2  alkyl. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the hemi-formyl is methanol hemi-formyl. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the hemi-formyl is ethanol hemi-formyl. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid is selected from the group consisting of crude oil, naphtha, fuel, distillate oils, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising adding one or more additional components selected from the group consisting of asphaltene inhibitors, paraffin inhibitors, corrosion inhibitors, emulsifiers, water clarifiers, dispersants, emulsion breakers, hydrogen sulfide scavengers, gas hydrate inhibitors, surfactants, dispersant, solvents, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the surfactant or dispersant is selected from the group consisting of alkyl benzyl ammonium chloride, benzyl cocoalkyl(C 12 -C 18 )dimethylammonium chloride, dicocoalkyl (C 12 -C 18 )dimethylammonium chloride, ditallow dimethylammonium chloride, di(hydrogenated tallow alkyl)dimethyl quaternary ammonium methyl chloride, methyl bis(2-hydroxyethyl cocoalkyl(C 12 -C 18 ) quaternary ammonium chloride, dimethyl(2-ethyl) tallow ammonium methyl sulfate, n-dodecylbenzyldimethylammonium chloride, n-octadecylbenzyldimethyl ammonium chloride, n-dodecyltrimethylammonium sulfate, soya alkyltrimethylammonium chloride, hydrogenated tallow alkyl (2-ethylhyexyl) dimethyl quaternary ammonium methyl sulfate, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising adding an odorant. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid is produced or used in a coal-fired process, a waste-water process, a farm, a slaughter house, a land-fill, a municipality waste-water plant, a coking coal process, or a biofuel process. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method excludes adding any nitrogen-containing compounds to the fluid.