| abstract |
The instant invention is directed to a process for extracting organic acids including naphthenic acids, heavy metals, and sulfur from a starting crude oil comprising the steps of: (a) treating the starting crude oil containing organic acids, heavy metals, and sulfur with an amount of an ethoxylated amine and water under conditions and for a time and at a temperature sufficient to form a water-in-oil emulsion of amine salt wherein said ethoxylated amine has the following formula: where m=1 to 10 and R=C3 to C6 hydrocarbon; (b) separating said emulsion of step (a) into a plurality of layers, wherein one of such layers contains a treated crude oil having decreased amounts of organic acids, heavy metals and sulfur; (c) recovering said layer of step (b) containing said treated crude oil having decreased amounts of organic acids, heavy metal and sulfur and layers containing water and ethoxylated amine salt. |