Patent ID: 8372270

Claim:
A method of transferring at least one metal from a hydrocarbon phase to a water phase in a refinery desalting process comprising: in any order: adding to crude oil, an effective amount of a composition to transfer at least one metal from a hydrocarbon phase to a water phase, the composition comprising a blend comprising: at least one demulsifier selected from the group consisting of an oxyalkylated alkyl resin, a crosslinked polypropylene glycol and mixtures thereof, at least one surfactant, at least one diketone chelating agent, and at least one solvent; adding a wash water to the crude oil to create an emulsion; and resolving the emulsion into a hydrocarbon phase and an aqueous phase using electrostatic coalescence in the refinery desalting process, where at least a portion of the at least one metal is transferred to the aqueous phase.