Compositions to stabilize asphaltenes in petroleum fluids

Abstract

Compositions may include those of the formula: (I) wherein R1 is an alkyl chain having a carbon number in the range of greater than 40 to 200, R2 is a multiester, R3 is hydrogen, an ion, or an alkyl chain having a carbon number in the range of 1 to 200, m is an integer selected from 0 to 4, and n is an integer selected from the range of 0 to 4, wherein the sum of m and n is 1 or greater. Compositions may include a reaction product of a polyisobutylene-substituted succinic anhydride and a hydroxy-functional dendrimer, wherein the molar ratio of polyisobutylene-substituted succinic anhydride to hydroxy-functional dendrimer is within the range of 10:1 to 30:1.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A composition comprising a compound of the formula: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein R1 is an alkyl chain having a carbon number of greater than 40 to 200, R2 is a multiester group, X is —OR3 or —NR4R5 or —OM, wherein R3 is an alkyl or aryl group having a carbon number of 1 to 200, R4 and R5 are independently hydrogen or an alkyl, alkenyl, alkoxyalkyl, or aryl group having a carbon number of 1 to 200, M is an alkali metal, alkaline earth metal, ammonium, alkyl-substituted ammonium, or aryl-substituted ammonium, each of m and n is an integer from 0 to 4, and the sum of m and n is 1 or greater. 
       
     
     
         2 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein R1 is an alkyl chain having a carbon number in the range of 50 to 100, X is —OM, and m+n=1. 
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 2 , wherein R1 is an alkyl chain having a carbon number in the range of 60 to 75. 
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the multiester group is a dendrimeric multiester comprising 8 to 50 ester groups. 
     
     
         5 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the compound has a weight average molecular weight in the range of 900 to 100,000 Da. 
     
     
         6 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the compound has a weight average molecular weight in the range of 10,000 to 50,000 Da. 
     
     
         7 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein R1 is an alkyl chain generated from the reaction of one or more monomers selected from a group consisting of ethylene, propene, butylene, and isobutylene. 
     
     
         8 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the multiester group is a dendrimeric multiester comprising a polyalcohol core and one or more generations of 2,2-dimethylolpropionic acid. 
     
     
         9 . The composition of  claim 8 , wherein the polyalcohol core is pentaerythritol. 
     
     
         10 . The composition of  claim 1 , wherein the compound is made by reacting a polyisobutylene-substituted succinic anhydride with a hydroxy-functional dendrimer, and conversion of any free carboxylic acid groups from the anhydride to an acid salt, an ester, or an amide group. 
     
     
         11 . The composition of  claim 10 , wherein the molar ratio of polyisobutylene-substituted succinic anhydride to hydroxy-functional dendrimer is within the range of 10:1 to 30:1. 
     
     
         12 . The composition of  claim 10 , wherein the molar ratio of polyisobutylene-substituted succinic anhydride to hydroxy-functional dendrimer is within the range of 15:1 to 25:1. 
     
     
         13 . The composition of  claim 10 , wherein the molar ratio of polyisobutylene-substituted succinic anhydride to hydroxy-functional dendrimer is about 20:1. 
     
     
         14 . The composition of  claim 10 , wherein the polyisobutylene-substituted succinic anhydride has a weight average molecular weight within the range of 500 to 10,000 Da. 
     
     
         15 . The composition of  claim 10 , wherein the polyisobutylene-substituted succinic anhydride has a weight average molecular weight within the range of 800 to 3,500 Da. 
     
     
         16 . The composition of  claim 10 , wherein the hydroxy-functional dendrimer has 23 free hydroxyl groups prior to reaction with the polyisobutylene-substituted succinic anhydride. 
     
     
         17 . The composition of  claim 10 , wherein the hydroxy-functional dendrimer, prior to reaction with the polyisobutylene-substituted succinic anhydride, has a hydroxyl value within the range of 230 to 260 mg KOH/g and a weight-average molecular weight within the range of 5,500 Da to 6,000 Da. 
     
     
         18 . The composition of  claim 1 , further comprising 1 to 90 v %, based on the amount of composition, of an aromatic solvent. 
     
     
         19 . The composition of  claim 18 , wherein the aromatic solvent is selected from the group consisting of benzene, toluene, xylenes, ethylbenzene, cumene, mesitylene, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         20 . The composition of  claim 1  prepared by reacting polyisobutylene succinic anhydride with a hydroxyalkyl acrylate monomer, followed by radical-initiated polymerization of the resulting macromonomer and conversion of any free carboxylic acid groups from the anhydride to an acid salt, an ester, or an amide group. 
     
     
         21 . The composition of  claim 20  wherein the hydroxyalkyl acrylate monomer is 2-hydroxyethyl acrylate or 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate. 
     
     
         22 . The composition of  claim 1  prepared by reacting polyisobutylene succinic anhydride with a polyol, and conversion of any free carboxylic acid groups from the anhydride to an acid salt, an ester, or an amide group. 
     
     
         23 . The composition of  claim 22  wherein the polyol is glycerol.