A dynamic model for the interaction of caustic reagents with acidic oils

Abstract

This paper describes the mechanisms and a quantative analysis of the interaction between a multicomponent acid mixture with a spectrum of caustic solutions. A physico-chemical model of the acidic oil /caustic system has been proposed which demonstrates the effect on dynamic interfacial tension (IFT) of variations in caustic concentration as well as changes in the initial composition and ionization properties of the constituent acids of the oleic phase. The model relies on the Langmuirian theory of interfacial sorption kinetics in addition to the Nernstian theory of convective diffusion. Pertinent kinetic and mass transfer parameters for all contributing surface-active species were determined from a recently proposed single-component dynamic model (Chiwetelu et al., 1988a). The validity of this multicomponent dynamic model was confirmed by the close agreement between predicted IFT and experimental data for a binary carboxylic acid system in contact with a broad range of caustic concentrations.

Mobilization of Manufactured Gas Plant Tar with Alkaline Flushing Solutions

“…A number of petroleum researchers have investigated the dynamic IFT behavior of crude oils or synthetic oil-acid mixtures contacted with alkaline solutions (35, 39, 55–59). The basic mechanisms described in these studies are as follows.…”

“…An alternate explanation relates to the presence of multiple acidic species within the tar. Chiwetelu et al (55) showed that the dominant interfacially active species changed from a higher solubility, lower pK a acid to a less soluble, higher pK a acid as NaOH concentration was increased. A more recent study (37) found that higher molecular weight petroleum acid fractions required a higher alkaline concentration to produce an IFT reduction, but resulted in much less time-dependent IFTs as compared to the lower molecular weight fractions.…”

Comparative effectiveness of production performance of Pickering emulsion stabilized by nanoparticle–surfactant–polymerover surfactant–polymer (SP) flooding for enhanced oil recoveryfor Brownfield reservoir

“…The additional oil recoveries increased significantly during the Pickering emulsion flooding followed by chase water flooding as compared to the SP flooding (Table 4, Figure 8 and 9). Previous studies showed that the recovery of oil using conventional surfactant based flood decreased due to the inactivity of surfactant species leading to increase in IFT between crude oil and flood system (Cambridge et al, 1989;Chiweteiu et al, 1990). It is possible that only small part of the surfactant from the conventional chemical flood may participate in EOR due to their affinity for the water phase.…”

Effects of water‐soluble polymers and aqueous‐phase viscosity on the interfacial tension behavior of reacting oil–alkaline systems

“…For comparison purposes, Figure 5 has been included to show the transient IFT behavior for one representative case in which the oil-phase viscosity is altered by addition of polystyrene. The data in Figure 5 correspond to a similar oil phase (i.e., 10 m M linoleic acid in toluene) and the same NaOH concentration (i.e., 25 mM) as in Figures 3 and 4. Toluene was employed instead of parafin oil in this case since polystyrene is insoluble in the latter.…”