Random bipolymers of controlled molecular mass based on hydroxyacrylates and their use as destabilizers of water/oil emulsions in crude oils

Abstract

The present disclosure provide bipolymers, based on alkyl acrylate and hydroxyalkyl acrylate, with high randomness and controlled molecular mass, that are useful as demulsifying and dehydrating agents for crude oil. The synthesis of these bipolymers is carried out in a single stage by emulsion polymerization, a process that, in addition to having moderate reaction conditions, allows the control of the homogeneity of the chain size, the molecular mass, and the demulsifying efficiency. These random bipolymers are soluble in organic phase; therefore, these cannot be carried away by the removed water, and are eliminated in the atmospheric distillation stage. An additional advantage is the superior demulsifying and clarifying efficiency of these random bipolymers compared with the polyether formulations widely used at industrial level. In addition, these random bipolymers provide single molecule that performs three functions: breaker, coalescer and clarifier, in contrast to formulations based on at least three different polyethers.