content_image/945744.jpg content_image/945748.jpg content_image/945746.jpg content_image/945729.jpg
# c12) United States Patent 

# Mohan et al. 

# (54) METHOD FOR SELECTIVE EXTRACTION OF SURFACTANTS FROM CRUDE OIL 

(71) Applicant: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company, Annandale, NJ (US) 

(72) Inventors: Aruna Mohan, Annandale, NJ (US); Mohsen S. Yeganeh, Hillsborough, NJ (US); Daniel P. Cherney, Hampton, NJ (US); Anthony S. Mennito, Flemington, NJ (US); Shane P. Deighton, Bound Brook, NJ (US); Jessica L. Vreeland, Phillipsburg, NJ (US) 

(73) Assignee: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company, Annandale, NJ (US) 

( *) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term ofthis patent is extended or adjusted under 35 U.S.C. 154(b) by 37 days. 

(21) Appl. No.: 15/935,471 

(22) Filed: Mar. 26, 2018 

## (65) Prior Publication Data 

US 2018/0291286 Al Oct. 11, 2018 

(60) Provisional application No. 62/ 481,854, filed on Apr. 5, 2017. 

(51) Int. Cl. 

<img src='content_image/945744.jpg'>

(52) U.S. Cl. CPC .............. CJ0G 53112 (2013.01); C09K 8/584 (2013.01); E21B 43120 (2013.01); CJOG 2300/203 (2013.01) 

## Related U.S. Application Data 

<img src='content_image/945748.jpg'>

# (IO) Patent No.: US 10,883,055 B2 

# Jan.5,2021 (45) Date of Patent: 

(58) Field of Classification Search None See application file for complete search history. 

## (56) References Cited 

<img src='content_image/945746.jpg'>

Nodwell; On the Interactions between Naphthenic Acids and Inor› ganic Minerals; 2011; 72 Pages (Year: 2011 ). * 

Primary Examiner - Anuradha Ahuja (74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm - Joseph E. Wrkich; Priya G. Prasad; Leandro Arechederra, III 

## (57) ABSTRACT 

A method for selective extraction of naphthenic acids from an acidic crude oil, including: providing an acidic crude oil including naphthenic acids and having a total acid number (TAN) greater than 0.4; mixing the acidic crude oil with a first aqueous solution including water and a weak base to extract a portion of naphthenic acids from the acidic crude oil thereby creating a second aqueous solution containing a mixture of the portion of naphthenic acids, the water and the weak base in an emulsion; separating the second aqueous solution from the emulsion; wherein the second aqueous solution contains an additional portion of the acidic crude oil; adding a salt to the second aqueous solution, thereby causing the additional portion of the acidic crude oil to separate from the second aqueous solution; removing the additional portion of the acidic crude oil from the second aqueous solution; and extracting the portion of the naph› thenic acids from the second aqueous solution. 

US010883055B2 

## U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS 

## OTHER PUBLICATIONS 

## 8 Claims, 8 Drawing Sheets 

(Continued) 

(Continued) 

<img src='content_image/945729.jpg'>

