Patent 7622035 was granted and assigned to North Carolina State University on November, 2009 by the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
A method of deresinating a crude oil comprises contacting the crude oil with a carbon dioxide containing fluid, the crude oil having an initial API gravity and comprising an oil phase, resins, and asphaltenes, and wherein the carbon dioxide containing fluid enters the oil phase of the crude oil in a manner such that the resins and asphaltenes precipitate out of the crude oil such that the final API gravity of the crude oil is higher than the initial API gravity of the crude oil.