Marathon Oil Company

Phillip M Beazley

Frank L Dormish

Mark A Plummer

David O Falk

Ronald G Thompson

A relatively high molecular weight polyvinyl sulfonate and a process for inhibiting scale deposition, particularly inorganic sulfate such as barium sulfate, wherein an aqueous fluid present in or produced from a subterranean formation is contacted with an aqueous solution having a relatively high molecular weight polyvinyl sulfonate dissolved therein. The aqueous fluid has a pH equal to or less than 6.0 and the polyvinyl sulfonate has a molecular weight of from about 9,000 to about 30,000.

Polyvinyl sulfonate scale inhibitor

A hydrogen sulfide gas is converted to sulfur and hydrogen gas by reacting the hydrogen sulfide and with an anthraquinone dissolved in a polar hydrocarbon solvent. The hydrogen sulfide reacts with the anthraquinone to produce sulfur and an anthrahydroquinone. Sulfur is then removed from the solvent. The anthraquinone is regenerated from the anthrahydroquinone yielding hydrogen gas. The anthraquinone is recycled with the solvent to the reaction.

Conversion of hydrogen sulfide to sulfur and hydrogen

A process for the sulfonation of a hydrocarbon feedstock, particularly one containing naphthenes, is improved by ozonating the hydrocarbon feedstock prior to sulfonation. The ozonation results in a greater conversion of the sulfur trioxide to sulfonate, a reduction in the salts, for example, sulfites, which are formed, a decrease in the amount of colored bodies and a more efficient extraction and separation of unreacted hydrocarbons from the sulfonated product. The process is especially applicable to petroleum feedstocks such as crude oil, topped crude oil, gas oil and mixtures thereof.

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Littleton, CO, United States of America

Phillip M Beazley