Paraffin suppressant compositions and methods

Abstract

Paraffin suppressant-nanoparticulate admixtures are added to petroleum oils, such as crude or refined oils, to obtain treated petroleum oils. The treated petroleum oils obtain a viscosity that is reduced by 5% to 50%, and pour point that is reduced by 0.1° C. to 5° C. compared to the same petroleum oil treated with the paraffin suppressant in the absence of the nanoparticulate, further where the comparison is made at a temperature between 60° C. and −4° C. The paraffin suppressant-nanoparticulate admixtures also obtain decreased fouling of surfaces by paraffin waxes present in many petroleum oils, when compared to the same petroleum oil treated with the paraffin suppressant in the absence of the nanoparticulate.

1 . A paraffin suppressant composition comprising a mixture of:
 a paraffin suppressant and 0.010 wt % to 1.000 wt % of a nanoparticulate based on the weight of the paraffin suppressant,   wherein the paraffin suppressant is one or more paraffin inhibitors, one or more paraffin dispersants, one or more pour point depressants, or any combination of two or more thereof.   
     
     
         2 . The paraffin suppressant composition of  claim 1  wherein the nanoparticulate comprises carbon, silica, alumina, aluminosilicate, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The paraffin suppressant composition of  claim 1  wherein the nanoparticulate comprises a Halloysite nanotube, an activated carbon, a carbon nanotube, a graphene quantum dot, Buckminsterfullerene, a colloidal silica, an agglomerated silica, or a fumed silica. 
     
     
         4 . The paraffin suppressant composition of  claim 1  further comprising a solvent, the solvent comprising one or more C1-C12 alkanols, one or more linear, branched, or cyclic C5 to C16 alkanes, benzene, toluene, o-xylene, m-xylene, p-xylene, methyl ethyl ketone, methyl isobutyl ketone, ethylene glycol, ethylene glycol mono-n-propyl ether, ethylene glycol mono-n-butyl ether, propylene glycol mono-methyl ether acetate, N,N-dimethyl acetamide, light aromatic naphtha, heavy aromatic naphtha, fuel oil, kerosene, diesel, or any combination thereof, further wherein the solvent is present at 10 wt % to 99 wt % of the paraffin suppressant composition. 
     
     
         5 . The paraffin suppressant composition of  claim 1  wherein the paraffin suppressant comprises one or more ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers, one or more alkoxylated alkylphenol resins, one or more acrylate ester copolymers, one or more maleimide copolymers, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The paraffin suppressant composition of  claim 1  wherein the paraffin suppressant comprises one or more ethoxylated nonylphenols, one or more nonylphenol formaldehyde resins, dodecyl benzene sulfonic acid or a conjugate base thereof, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         7 . A method of forming a paraffin suppressant composition, the method comprising
 dispersing a paraffin suppressant in a first solvent to form a paraffin suppressant dispersion; and   mixing a nanoparticulate with the paraffin suppressant dispersion to form a paraffin suppressant composition,   wherein the paraffin suppressant is one or more paraffin inhibitors, one or more paraffin dispersants, one or more pour point depressants, or any combination of two or more thereof.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the first solvent comprises one or more C1-C12 alkanols, one or more linear, branched, or cyclic C5 to C16 alkanes, benzene, toluene, o-xylene, m-xylene, p-xylene, methyl ethyl ketone, methyl isobutyl ketone, ethylene glycol, ethylene glycol mono-n-propyl ether, ethylene glycol mono-n-butyl ether, propylene glycol mono-methyl ether acetate, N,N-dimethyl acetamide, light aromatic naphtha, heavy aromatic naphtha, fuel oil, kerosene, diesel, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the nanoparticulate comprises carbon, silica, alumina, aluminosilicate, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the mixing is mixing the paraffin suppressant dispersion with a dry nanoparticulate. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the mixing is mixing the paraffin suppressant dispersion with a nanoparticulate dispersion, the nanoparticulate dispersion comprising a second solvent selected from methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, xylene, methyl ethyl ketone, ethylene glycol, ethylene glycol monopropyl ether, ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, propylene glycol mono-methyl ether acetate, N,N-dimethyl acetamide, or any mixture thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the mixing comprises sonicating. 
     
     
         13 . A treated petroleum oil comprising
 a. a petroleum oil; and   b. 0.01 ppm to 10,000 ppm by weight of a paraffin suppressant composition, the paraffin suppressant composition comprising:
 i. a paraffin suppressant comprising one or more paraffin inhibitors, one or more paraffin dispersants, one or more pour point depressants, or any combination of two or more thereof; and 
 ii. 0.01 wt % to 1.000 wt % of a nanoparticulate based on the weight of the paraffin suppressant. 
   
     
     
         14 . The treated petroleum oil of  claim 13  wherein the viscosity of the treated petroleum oil measured at a temperature between 60° C. and −4° C. is 5% to 50% less than the viscosity of a composition measured at the same temperature and comprising the crude oil and the paraffin inhibitor in the absence of the nanoparticulate. 
     
     
         15 . The treated petroleum oil of  claim 13  wherein the nanoparticulate comprises silica, alumina, an aluminosilicate, carbon, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         16 . The treated petroleum oil of  claim 13  wherein the one or more paraffin dispersants comprise an ethoxylated long-chain phenol, a nonylphenol formaldehyde resin, dodecyl benzene sulfonic acid or a conjugate base thereof, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         17 . The treated petroleum oil of  claim 16  wherein the petroleum oil is a crude oil, optionally wherein the crude oil is a high paraffin crude oil. 
     
     
         18 . A method of treating a petroleum oil, the method comprising mixing 0.01 ppm to 10,000 ppm by weight of a paraffin suppressant composition of  claim 1  with a petroleum oil. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the method further comprises
 dispersing the paraffin suppressant in a first solvent to form a paraffin suppressant dispersion; and   admixing the nanoparticulate with the paraffin suppressant dispersion to form the paraffin suppressant composition,   wherein the first solvent comprises one or more C1-C12 alkanols, one or more linear, branched, or cyclic C5 to C16 alkanes, benzene, toluene, o-xylene, m-xylene, p-xylene, methyl ethyl ketone, methyl isobutyl ketone, ethylene glycol, ethylene glycol mono-n-propyl ether, ethylene glycol mono-n-butyl ether, propylene glycol mono-methyl ether acetate, N,N-dimethyl acetamide, light aromatic naphtha, heavy aromatic naphtha, fuel oil, kerosene, diesel, or any combination thereof.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the nanoparticulate dispersion comprises the nanoparticulate and a second solvent selected from methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, xylene, methyl ethyl ketone, ethylene glycol, ethylene glycol mono-n-propyl ether, ethylene glycol mono-n-butyl ether, propylene glycol mono-methyl ether acetate, N,N-dimethyl acetamide, or any mixture thereof.