Method of transporting viscous hydrocarbons

Claim 1

In the method of transporting a viscous hydrocarbon through a pipe, the improvement which comprises forming an oil-in-water emulsion of lower viscosity to facilitate transporting said hydrocarbon through said pipe by adding to said hydrocarbon from about 20 to about 80 volume percent of an aqueous solution containing an effective amount, in the range of about 125 to about 2,000 parts per million based on said hydrocarbon, of (a) about 40 to about 60 weight percent of an anionic alkyl polyether ethoxylated sulfate and (b) about 60 to about 40 weight percent of an alcohol ether sulfate, said anionic alkyl polyether ethoxylated sulfate being represented by the formula ##STR2## wherein R is a C 8 to C 14 alkyl group, a is a number in the range of 2 to about 13, b is a number in the range of 1 to about 3, and M is sodium, potassium or ammonium, and said alcohol ether sulfate being represented by the formula [CH.sub.3 (CH.sub.2).sub.x CH.sub.2 (OCH.sub.2 CH.sub.2).sub.n OSO.sub.3 ]M wherein x is an integer in the range of about 10 to about 16, n is a number in the range of 3 to about 12, and M is sodium, potassium or ammonium.