Inventors:
Paul S. Ossip - Denver CO
Larry M. Echelberger - Littleton CO
Assignee:
Marathon Oil Company - Findlay OH
International Classification:
C07C14324
Abstract:
Addition of small amounts of water and small amounts of neutral oleophilic organic compounds, e. g. , alcohols, phenols, aldehydes, ketones, and esters to product mixtures produced by treatment of hydrocarbons with sulfur trioxide, followed by neutralization with an inorganic hydroxide, and comprising oleophilic petroleum sulfonates, together with undesired hydrophilic petroleum sulfonates and inorganic salts, causes separation of a lower phase containing substantial quantities of said undesired constituents and permitting ready recovery of said oleophilic hydrocarbon sulfonates. The products are particularly useful in micellar systems for the secondary-type recovery of petroleum.