Oil Emulsions

Oil is produced in the form of an A/O emulsion, where water from the reservoir and/or recovery methods is dispersed as droplets in the continuous oily medium. The water produced needs to be removed from the oil, because as well as having no economic value, it generates operating costs. However, the oil emulsion can have high kinetic stability due to the presence of amphiphilic substances naturally present in the oil, such as asphaltenes and resins, making it difficult to separate the water from the oil. Emulsions can be destabilized through physical and/or chemical processes, including the use of surfactants. This book provides an in-depth review of recent work on the chemical demulsification of oil, evaluating the process conditions and surfactant characteristics on the efficiency of separating water from oil. It also covers important concepts of the structure of emulsions and surfactants, and the mechanisms of stabilization and destabilization of emulsions.