Exxon Research and Engineering Company

Max Leo Robbins

Jan Bock

Ramesh Varadaraj

Salvatore James Pace

Gerard P Canevari

Michael Siskin

Cornelius Hendrick Brons

Patrick P McCall

Edwin R Ernst

Nathan H Canter

Edward G Baker

Antonio Gutierrez

Darrell W Brownawell

Harold Shaub

Allen I Laskin

Raam R Mohan

Virgil H Cargle

Lars A Naslund

Peter L Steyn

A composition for dispersing oil slicks consisting of a surfactant or a mixture of surfactants having the general formula: ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 are the same or different oxyalkylene or polyoxyalkylene groups, and wherein R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 are the same or different alkyl or alkenyl groups. The composition also includes a carrier solvent.

Oil slick dispersants

A triple tail surfactant composition useful in emulsifying viscous hydrocarbon with water is disclosed. The composition includes an organic solvent and at least one triple tail surfactant represented by the formulae ##STR1## where R is where R is an alkyl group of from about 6 to about 20 carbon atoms; A is a polyhydric alcohol radical, especially a hexitol radical; Y an alkenyl group of from 2 to about 4 carbon atoms; n is an integer of from 0 to 25; and Z is --H, --SO.sup.-.sub.3 M.sup.+, --SO.sup.-.sub.2 M.sup.+, or --PO.sup.-.sub.3 M.sup.+ where M is an alkali metal.

Triple tail surfactant formulations for emulsification of heavy

A composition for dispersing oil slicks comprises a surfactant or a mixture of surfactants having the general formula: ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 may be the same or different oxyalkylene or polyoxyalkylene groups, and

The present invention provides a composition for dispersing oil slicks comprising a twin tail surfactant or mixture of twin tail surfactants having the general formula: ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.3 may be the same or different alkyl or alkenyl groups; R.sub.2 is H or OH; and x is from 1 to about 20.

Polyoxyethylene glycol and polyglycerol twin tail surfactant

In one embodiment, the present invention provides a microbial nutrient composition comprises a stable, bi-continuous first and second phase. The first phase comprises an aqueous solution of microbial nutrients and the second phase comprising a hydrocarbon liquid and a mixture of surfactants combined in amounts sufficient to render the mixture of first and second phases a liquid at a first temperature and as a waxy solid at a lower second temperature. In another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method for treating hydrocarbon contaminated soils and water by applying to the soil or water a microbial nutrient composition which is in the liquid state when it is applied and which forms a waxy solid at temperatures below the application temperature.

Hydrophobic bioremediants

The present invention comprises a novel composition of matter having the general formula: ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 is H or an alkoxide of from 5 to about 20 carbon atoms; x is an integer of from about 8 to 22 when R.sub.1 =H and from about 2 to 5 when R.sub.1 is an alkoxide; R.sub.2 is selected independently from H, (CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 O).sub.m H, and (CH.sub.2 CH(CH.sub.3)O).sub.m H; R.sub.3 is selected independently from H, (CH.sub.2 CH.sub.2 O).sub.n H, and (CH.sub.2 CH(CH.sub.3)O).sub.n H; m and n are integers from 1 to 50; and y and z are integers from 2 to 10.

Class of three tail surfactants law388

The biodegradation of hydrocarbon contaminated water is enhanced by the adding to the contaminated water a hydrocarbon solution of (a) a mixture of a sorbitan ester of a C.sub.7 to C.sub.22 monocarboxylic acid and a polyoxyalkelene adduct of a sorbitan ester of a C.sub.7 to C.sub.22 monocarboxylic acid, the adduct having from 4 to 50 polyoxyalkelene units, (b) an alkyl glycoside wherein the alkyl group has from about 8 to 18 carbon atoms and the gylcoside is a mono or diglycoside, or a mixture thereof, in amounts sufficient to promote the growth of indigenous microorganisms. In another embodiment of the invention a source of microbial assimilable nitrogen and phosphorous also is supplied to the contaminated water.

Nutrient additives for bioremediation of hydrocarbon contaminated waters

The bioremediation of hydrocarbon contaminated soil is enhanced by applying to the soil a hydrocarbon solution of a surfactant selected from the group consisting of: (a) mixture of a sorbitan ester of a C.sub.7 to C.sub.22 monocarboxylic acid and a polyoxyalkylene adduct of a sorbitan monoester of a C.sub.7 to C.sub.22 monocarboxylic acid, the adduct having from 6 to 50 polyoxyalkylene units, (b) an alkyl glycoside wherein the alkyl group has from about 8 to about 18 carbon atoms and the glycoside is a mono or diglycoside and (c) a mixture of (a) and (b) and (c) and thereafter applying microbial nutrients to the soil in amounts sufficient to promote the growth of indigenous microorganisms.

Bioremediation of hydrocarbon contaminated soil

A method for dispersing an oil spill on sea water, which method comprises applying to the oil spill surface an effective amount of: (i) a blend of one or more hydrophilic and one or more lipophilic surfactants so balanced that they will form microemulsions with the sea water and the oil to be dispersed; (ii) a solvent which is miscible with the oil to be dispersed and in which the blend of surfactants is substantially soluble; and (iii) from 0 to about 10 weight percent water, wherein the blend of surfactants is such that it lowers the interfacial tension between the oil to be dispersed and the sea water to less than about 250 mdynes/cm when the blend is used at a treat rate of less than about 1 to 100 by weight, based on the oil to be dispersed, wherein the solvent is a hydrocarbon solvent selected from the group consisting of No. 2 diesel fuel oil, kerosene and white oil.

Oil spill microemulsion dispersants

The present invention relates to a method for separating water and oil from a sludge which contains water, oil and solids which method comprises (1) contacting the sludge with an effective amount of 1 or more surfactants chosen and balanced to form certain types of microemulsions with equal volumes of decane and 3% aqueous NaCl, (2) mixing said surfactants and sludge with sufficient agitation to obtain a uniform mixture, (3) allowing said mixture to stand under gravitational settling or centrifugation to obtain the separation from the bottom sediment of an aqueous phase which may contain solubilized oil with or without an additional floating oil phase, (4) decanting separately the oil and aqueous phases and (5) further treating the aqueous phase with heat and/or NaCl to separate the solubilized oil or further treating the bottom sediment with selected surfactants to release adhering oil.

Unique and effective separation technique for oil contaminated sludge

Disclosed is a method for dispersing an oil spill on sea water which method comprises applying to the oil spill surface an effective amount of: (i) a blend of one or more hydrophilic and one or more lipophilic surfactants whose ratio is so adjusted that they will form microemulsions with the sea water and the oil to be dispersed, (ii) a solvent which is miscible with the oil to be dispersed and in which the blend of surfactants is substantially soluble, and (iii) from 0 to about 10 wt. % water. The blend of surfactants is such that it lowers the interfacial tension between the oil to be dispersed and the sea water to less than about 250 mdynes/cm when the blend is used at a treat rate of less than about 1 to 100 by weight, based on the weight of the oil to be dispersed.

A lubricating oil composition having improved friction reducing properties and the method of reducing friction in internal combustion engines by lubricating said engines with said lubricating oil which contains an effective friction reducing amount of an additive which is the reaction product of dimer carboxylic acid and a polyhydric alcohol having at least 2 hydroxyl groups in combination with an oil soluble alkanol or an oil soluble alkyl phosphate.

Lubricant oil composition with improved friction reducing properties

A method for treating particulate solids such as coal to reduce the cohesive strength of such solids when frozen which consists of spraying said solids with a hydrocarbon liquid solution of a balanced blend of surfactants which blend will form a single phase microemulsion at 20.degree. C. when added to water at the salinity of the water on said solids at a water to hydrocarbon ratio in the range between 99:1 and 85:15, said blend represented by the monoethanol amine salt of dodecyl o-xylene sulfonic acid and a dinonylphenol reacted with 9 moles of ethylene oxide, onto the wetted surface of said solids to form a single phase microemulsion which is optimally designed to undergo a lipophilic shift upon contacting the surface of said particles whereby an in-situ water-in-oil coarse emulsion is formed on the surfaces of said particles.

Freeze conditioning agent for particulate solids

Disclosed is a process for converting organic material of oil-shale to predominantly liquids. The oil-shale is first heated to a temperature from about 360.degree. C. to 475.degree. C. in an inert atmosphere. The resulting liquids and gases are collected and the residue is extracted with a microemulsion capable of extracting organic material from the heat treated oil-shale.

Shale-oil recovery process

Disclosed is a process for converting organic material of oil-shale to predominantly liquids. The oil-shale is first heated to a temperature from about 360.degree. C. to 475.degree. C. in an anionic atmosphere. The resulting liquids and gases are collected and the residue is extracted with a microemulsion capable of extracting organic material from the heat treated oil-shale.

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South Orange, NJ, United States of America

Max Leo Robbins