Importance

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Abstract

Volatile organics in newly produced oil and gas, and/or condensates and distillates from produced oil and gas, are treated to depress vapor pressure to preserve light hydrocarbons in them when they are in storage vessels. The loss of volatile organics during storage of high gravity oil is minimized by forming a flowable or pumpable gel in the high gravity oil, (and/or condensates and distillates), as they are introduced to a storage vessel. The gel-former may comprise a phosphate ester of one or more low molecular weight alcohols, and a crosslinker including a source of iron or aluminum. Although the gels are flowable and pumpable, they can be broken for transportation from the production site or at another desirable time, returning the hydrocarbon product to its original properties.

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First Claim