LAKE OIL TREATMENT METHOD Russian patent published in 2001 - IPC

FIELD: crude oil treatment. SUBSTANCE: invention, in particular, relates to treating emulsion of aged lake oil by reducing its water level. To destroy emulsion, lake oil is thinned with hydrocarbon solvent and thus formed oil-solvent mixture is supplemented by fresh crude oil and polar nonelectrolyte at volume ratio 1:(0.42- 3.75):(0.08-1.25), respectively, and the total is then heated to 60-80 C. After that, demulsifier and alkali additive (0.02-0.2 vol %) are added thus treated lake oil is settled to separate water. Thinning of lake oil with solvent is accomplished to reduce oil viscosity to a value within viscosity range 100 to 700 mPa.s, and aliphatic C4-C5 alcohols are preferred as polar nonelectrolyte. EFFECT: reduced water level and amount of formed intermediate layer at lowered demulsifier consumption. 2 cl, 1 tbl