Demulsifying super-heavy crude oil with bifunctionalized block copolymers

Chemical Demulsification of Model Water-in-Oil Emulsions With Low Water Content by Means of Ionic Liquids

“…The IL operating concentrations were chosen to reproduce the typical dosages of the demulsifiers adopted for treating real w/o emulsions (Borges et al, 2009;Cendejas et al, 2013;Guzmán-Lucero et al, 2010;Lemos et al, 2010;Silva et al, 2013). The dispersion of the IL in the emulsion was favored by means of a 15 min sonication treatment (which allowed obtaining a uniform liquid system, as verified from visual inspection of the prepared samples).…”

“…The application of chemical demulsifiers is one of the most common strategies applied for resolving w/o emulsions, and it involves the use of amphiphilic molecules which, thanks to their interfacial activity, accelerate the interfacial film rupture, thus promoting the flocculation and coalescence of the water droplets (Abdurahman et al, 2007;Cendejas et al, 2013;Djuve et al, 2001;Ekott and Akpabio, 2010;Guzmán-Lucero et al, 2010;Kang et al, 2006;Issaka et al, 2015;Silva et al, 2013). The main advantage of chemical demulsification relies on the possibility of its easy integration into already existing w/o separation units without the need of equipment shutdown and with relatively small capital costs (Ekott and Akpabio, 2010).…”

“…The main advantage of chemical demulsification relies on the possibility of its easy integration into already existing w/o separation units without the need of equipment shutdown and with relatively small capital costs (Ekott and Akpabio, 2010). Different classes of demulsifiers are commercially available including co-polymers of polyoxyethylene and polyoxypropylene or alkylphenol-formaldehyde resins, alkoxylated amines, or mixtures of them (Cendejas et al, 2013;Guzmán-Lucero et al, 2010;Issaka et al, 2015). Current research efforts are focused on the development of cost-effective and environmentally friendly chemical demulsifiers characterized by high water separation efficiency and demulsification rate, so as to meet the oil company specifications (the maximum allowable water cut in crude oil is generally 0.1-0.5%) (AbdulWahab et al, 2006;Cendejas et al, 2013;Guzmán-Lucero et al, 2010;Issaka et al, 2015).…”

“…Different classes of demulsifiers are commercially available including co-polymers of polyoxyethylene and polyoxypropylene or alkylphenol-formaldehyde resins, alkoxylated amines, or mixtures of them (Cendejas et al, 2013;Guzmán-Lucero et al, 2010;Issaka et al, 2015). Current research efforts are focused on the development of cost-effective and environmentally friendly chemical demulsifiers characterized by high water separation efficiency and demulsification rate, so as to meet the oil company specifications (the maximum allowable water cut in crude oil is generally 0.1-0.5%) (AbdulWahab et al, 2006;Cendejas et al, 2013;Guzmán-Lucero et al, 2010;Issaka et al, 2015). In addition, the combination of chemical demulsifiers with microwave or ultrasound, which accelerate the water separation process, is considered to be an attractive route to minimize the dosage of chemicals and consequently their utilization cost (Issaka et al, 2015).…”

Experimental and theoretical study of bifunctionalized PEO–PPO–PEO triblock copolymers with applications as dehydrating agents for heavy crude oil

“…Recently, some triblock copolymers, PEO-PPO-PEO with a,x-diamine bifunctionalization, were synthesized and tested for their capability to break up water-in-oil emulsions, and these novel agents achieved greater removals of water from heavy petroleum than commercial demulsifiers (Cendejas et al, 2013).…”