Patent ID: 8721874

Claim:
A method for reducing a trace element of mercury in a crude oil, comprising: mixing into the crude oil a water phase and an effective amount of at least an oxidizing agent selected from the group of oxyhalites, hydroperoxides, organic peroxides, inorganic peracids and salts thereof, organic peracids and salts thereof, ozone and combinations thereof to extract at least a portion of the mercury into a water-oil emulsion as water soluble mercury cations; adding an effective amount of a complexing agent to convert the extracted mercury cations to water soluble mercury compounds in a water phase; and separating the water phase containing the water soluble mercury compounds from the crude oil for a treated crude oil having a reduced concentration of mercury by water oil phase separation; wherein the complexing agent is selected from the group of ethylenediamine, propylenediamine, triaminotriethylamine, diethylenetriamine, triethylenetetramine (TRIEN), tetra-2-aminoethylethlenediamine, tetraethylenepentamine (TETREN), ammonium thiosulfate, alkali metal thiosulfates, alkaline earth metal thiosulfates, iron thiosulfates, alkali metal dithionites, and alkaline earth metal dithionites, and mixtures thereof.