Richard R Lessard

US Patent:

61944734, Feb 27, 2001

Filed:

Dec 14, 1999

Appl. No.:

9/461438

Inventors:

Richard Raymond Lessard - East Stroudsburg PA
Kenneth William Becker - Houston TX
Gerard Paul Canevari - Cranford NJ
Robert John Fiocco - Summit NJ

Assignee:

Exxon Research and Engineering Company - Annandale NJ

International Classification:

B01F 1710
B01F 1734
B01F 1742
C09K 332

US Classification:

516 63

Abstract:

A formulation of chemical surfactants, solvents and inorganic salts is effective for dispersing heavy oils in both salt and fresh water. The formulation comprises a mixture of a sorbitan ester of an aliphatic monocarboxylic acid, a polyoxyethylene adduct of a sorbitan monoester of an aliphatic monocarboxylic acid, an alkali metal salt of a dialkyl sulfosuccinate, a polyoxyethylene adduct of a sorbitan triester of a monocarboxylic acid, a solvent comprising a hydrocarbon and/or a glycol ether and an inorganic salt containing a soluble divalent cation such as calcium or magnesium.