Emulsification of Heavy Crude Oil in Water For Pipeline Transportation

The factors affecting the viscosity and stability of two crude oil samples, i.e. Naftshahr and West paydar, in water emulsion for pipeline transportation were studied. The viscosity of both Naftshahr and West paydar crude oils decreased when it was emulsified with water in the presence of a nonionic surfactant Triton X-100, in the form of an oil-in-water emulsion. The study shows that the stability of the oil-in-water emulsion stabilized by Triton X-100 surfactant increases as the surfactant concentration increases, the oil content decreases and the speed of mixing increases. Viscosity of emulsion increases by increasing the oil content, the surfactant concentration and the speed of mixing for emulsion preparation. Increasing the salinity of the aqueous phase would increase the viscosity while decreases the stability of the emulsion. Preparation of any emulsion was impossible above 30000 ppm salinity of the aqueous phase.

Keywords:

Heavy Crude Oil , Emulsion , Triton X-100 , Viscosity , Stability