Patent ID: 8608951
Filing Date: 2013-12-17
Classification: B01D,C10G

Abstract:
1. A process for removing a metal from a crude oil comprising: (a) contacting the crude oil comprising the metal with a crude-immiscible ionic liquid to produce a mixture comprising the crude oil and the crude-immiscible ionic liquid, the crude-immiscible ionic liquid comprising at least one of an imidazolium ionic liquid, an ammonium ionic liquid, a pyridinium ionic liquid, and a phosphonium ionic liquid; (b) separating the mixture to produce a crude oil effluent and a crude-immiscible ionic liquid effluent, the crude-immiscible ionic liquid effluent comprising the metal; and (c) optionally adding a de-emulsifier to at least one of the contacting step (a) and the separating step (b); wherein the crude-immiscible ionic liquid comprises at least one of 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium ethyl sulfate, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hydrogen sulfate, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate, tetraethyl-ammonium acetate, tetrabutylphosphonium methanesulfonate, and 1-butyl-4-methypyridinium hexafluorophosphate; and wherein the metal content of the crude oil is reduced by at least 1-30% on an elemental basis further comprising contacting the ionic liquid effluent with a regeneration solvent and separating the ionic liquid effluent from the regeneration solvent to produce an extract stream comprising the metal and a regenerated ionic liquid stream comprising the crude-immiscible ionic liquid wherein the crude oil effluent comprises the crude-immiscible ionic liquid, the process further comprising washing at least a portion of the crude oil effluent with water to produce a washed crude oil effluent and a spent water stream, the spent water stream comprising the crude-immiscible ionic liquid; wherein at least a portion of the spent water stream is at least a portion of the regeneration solvent wherein the regeneration solvent comprises water and the regenerated ionic liquid stream further comprises water.