Patent ID: 9637685
Date: 2017-05-02
CPC Classifications: C10C,C10G,G05D

Claim:
1. A method for the controlled production and distribution of LDH enriched diluents so as not to violate pre-defined limits selected from LDH content, volatility, density, and combinations thereof comprising: a) providing a diluent stream having a flow rate, a line pressure, a LDH content, a volatility and a density; b) providing a variable rate LDH injection unit in fluid connection with said diluent stream; c) optionally providing a diluent/petroleum mixing unit in fluid connection with said LDH injection unit and said diluent stream; d) obtaining values for one or more parameters of said diluent stream selected from LDH content, volatility, density, and combinations thereof; e) calculating a target rate of injecting LDH into said diluent stream based upon the one or more parameter values in step (d) so as not to violate the foregoing pre-defined limits; f) injecting LDH into the diluent stream from the LDH injection unit at a pressure greater than said diluent stream pressure, and an actual injection rate less than or equal to said target rate calculated in step (e); and g) periodically repeating steps (d) and (e) and adjusting the injection rate in step (f) based upon the most recent calculation from step (e), wherein the API gravity of said diluent stream after said LDH injection step (f) is between 46 and 86, and the LDH content of said diluent stream after said LDH injection step (f) is between 5.0% and 7.0%.