University of Southern California

Tar Sands Energy Ltd.

USA As Represented by Secretary of the Navy

Sulphco, Inc.

Eneresource, Inc.

Teh Fu Yen

Chaur-Shyong Wen

Mohammad-Ali Sadeghi

Kazem Sadeghi

Jih-Fen Kuo

Long-Kuan Jang

John E Findley

Paul A Farmanian

Mankin Chan

Milo D Appleman

Bingham Y Pan

Hai Mei

Jonathan Kwan

Steve Hung-Mou Lu

Jau R Chen

Victoria L Weinberg

Fossil fuels are combined with a hydroperoxide in an aqueous-organic medium and subjected to ultrasound, with the effect of oxidizing the sulfur compounds in the fuels to sulfones. Due to their high polarity, the sulfones thus formed are readily removed from the fuels by polar extraction. The process is thus highly effective in removing sulfur compounds from the fuels.

Oxidative desulfurization of fossil fuels with ultrasound

Process for treating wastewater containing citric acid and triethanolamine nd heavy metals by subjecting the wastewater to treatment with hydrogen peroxide and ultraviolet light (UV) and in the presence of ferrous ion as catalyst, to substantially decompose the citric acid and the triethanolamine. Wastewater generated from ship bilge cleaning and containing up to 10% citric acid or up to 5% triethanolamine, or mixtures thereof, can thus be subjected to UV/H.sub.2 O.sub.2 treatment with ferrous ion in a concentration thereof of about 20 to about 100 ppm, without forming chelates of iron and other heavy metals with citric acid or with triethanolamine, to decompose up to 90% or more of the citric acid and triethanolamine.

Treatment of wastewater containing citric acid and triethanolamine

Hydrocarbon liquids are recovered from carbonaceous materials such as tar sands utilizing a separation reagent formed in situ by reacting polar resin components of tar sands with an inorganic base such as sodium silicate in sonicated aqueous solution in absence of an organic solvent to form a surfactant. Under the influence of sonication a microemulsion of polar-external micelles forms. The polar groups can associate with anions, especially polyanions such as silicate and act in a membrane mimetic manner to form vesicles. Cavities can form in the surfactant resin molecule that complex with guest cations such as titanium or other metals from the tar sand. When tar sands are added to the sonicated separation reagent, the surfactant penetrates the bitumen. Metal ions complex with the polar groups and aid in removing the bitument from the sand particles. The polarorganic asphaltene materials are carried into the aqueous phase by the anion and stabilized within the micelle structure. The lighter, non-polar hydrocarbon oil fraction separate from the emulsion and rise to the top and are recovered by skimming. The heavier asphaltenes and preasphaltenes complex with the polyvalent metals to form charcoal-like agglomerates which settle to the bottom of the treatment tank. The separation reagent forms during the reaction and can reach a concentration capable of dissolving bitumen. The separation reagent can be recovered and used in other processes after removal and recovery of the clay. The separation reagent must be substantially diluted after being recycled and reused to reduce solvation properties.

Treatment of carbonaceous materials

Hydrocarbon liquids are recovered from carbonaceous materials such as tar sands utilizing a separation reagent formed in situ by reacting polar resin components of tar sands with an inorganic base such as sodium silicate in sonicated aqueous solution in absence of an organic solvent to form a surfactant. When tar sands are added to the sonicated separation reagent, the surfactant penetrates the bitumen which aids in removing the bitumen from the sand particles. The lighter, non-polar hydrocarbon oil fraction separate from the emulsion and rise to the top and are recovered by skimming. The heavier asphaltenes and preasphaltenes complex with the polyvalent metals to form charcoal-like agglomerates which settle to the bottom of the treatment tank. The separation reagent forms during the reaction and can reach a concentration capable of dissolving bitumen. The separation reagent can be recovered and used in other processes after removal and recovery of the clay. The separation reagent must be substantially diluted after being recycled and reused to reduce solvation properties.

Sonication method and reagent for treatment of carbonaceous materials

Mesophase formation is optimized in graphite and coke precursors by a process which includes determining the values of critical chemical parameters for proposed precursors, modifying the precursors by adjusting such critical chemical parameters as oxygen content, aromaticity and functionality to within certain predetermined optimal limits and treating the resulting modified precursors to form mesophase. Oxygen content can be adjusted by oxidation or reduction of the precursor. Aromaticity can be adjusted by suitable heat treatment. Functionality can be adjusted by derivatization.

Method of optimizing mesophase formation in graphite and coke precursors

Hydrocarbon liquids are recovered from carbonaceous materials such as tar sands utilizing a separation reagent formed in situ by reacting polar resin components of tar sands with an inorganic base such as sodium silicate in sonicated aqueous solution in absence of an organic solvent to form a surfactant. Under the influence of sonication a microemulsion of polar-external micelles forms. When tar sands are added to the sonicated separation reagent, the surfactant penetrates the bitumen. Metal ions complex with the polar groups and aid in removing the bitumen from the sand particles. The polar-organic asphaltene materials are carried into the aqueous phase by the anion and stabilized within the micelle structure. The lighter, non-polar hydrocarbon oil fraction separate from the emulsion and rise to the top and is recovered by skimming. The heavier asphaltenes and preasphaltenes complex with the polyvalent metals to form charcoal-like agglomerates which settle to the bottom of the treatment tank. The rate of separation of bitumen can be significantly increased by adding a small amount of a free radical initiator such as benzoyl peroxide to the separation reagent.

Oil shale, particularly shale having high organic content and/or shallow burial, is fractured by contact with an amino compound, exemplified by ammonia (NH.sub.3) and hydrazine (H.sub.2 NNH.sub.2).

Method for fracturing of oil shale

Isolation of native petroleum surfactants for lowering interfacial tensions in aqeuous-alkaline systems. Petroleum of the type having reduced interfacial tension with water at high pH is subjected to fractionation by distillation including distillation under vacuum in the temperature range of 100.degree.-200.degree. C. to recover a surfactant fraction of the petroleum distilled in that temperature range. The fraction can be further concentrated by removing benzene-soluble components to obtain an ether-soluble residue having a density greater than water. The fraction alone, mixed with petroleum, or enriched with the residue, or the residue mixed with petroleum, can be injected as a slug into a subterranean oil reservoir to enhance tertiary recovery by alkaline water flooding. The amenability of a reservoir for alkaline flooding can be determined by separating the native surfactant fraction and measuring its interfacial tension with water at the proposed alkalinity of the floodwater.

Native petroleum surfactants

A process for the recovery of oil from a subteranean oil-bearing formation, in which the formation is potentiated to recovery by alkaline flooding by introducing an aqueous solution of acid selected from mineral acids and organic acids having less than 5 carbon atoms per molecule.

Pre-caustic flood treatment

Isolation of native petroleum surfactants for lowering interfacial tensions in aqueous-alkaline systems. Petroleum of the type having reduced interfacial tension with water at high pH is subjected to fractionation by distillation including distillation under vacuum in the temperature range of 100.degree.-200.degree. C. to recover a surfactant fraction of the petroleum distilled in that temperature range. The fraction can be further concentrated by removing benzene-soluble components to obtain an ether-soluble residue having a density greater than water. The fraction alone, mixed with petroleum, or enriched with the residue, or the residue mixed with petroleum, can be injected as a slug into a subterranean oil reservoir to enhance tertiary recovery by alkaline water flooding. The amenability of a reservoir for alkaline flooding can be determined by separating the native surfactant fraction and measuring its interfacial tension with water at the proposed alkalinity of the floodwater.

Petroleum recovery process using native petroleum surfactants

Anaerobic bacteria, e.g., of the Desulfovibrio family, are added to oil shale retort water producing an increase in cell biomass and reducing sulfate ions present to sulfide. The cell biomass is aggregated into a flocculent mass and removed. The sulfide can be oxidized and recycled to neutralize the retort water. Oxidation of sulfide to sulfate can be accomplished by addition of aerobic bacteria, e.g., of the Thiobacillus family.

Purifying oil shale retort water

Chemical products are obtained by oxidative electrolysis of an electrolytically active slurry of bituminous material and alkaline electrolyte.

Electrolytic recovery from bituminous materials

The kerogen components of shale oil are upgraded by reductive electrolysis.

Electrolytic hydrogenation of leached oil shale components

An electrolytically active slurry of bituminous, kerogen-containing material is subjected to non-oxidative electrolysis to remove pyrite therefrom.

Electrolytic pyrite removal from kerogen materials

Evolved ammonia is recovered from the electrolysis of shale oil retort water.

Growing community of inventors

Altadena, CA, United States of America

Teh Fu Yen