ABSTRACT

Demulsification
(emulsion breaking) is necessary in many practical applications such as the
petroleum industry, painting and waste-water treatment in environmental
technology. Chemical demulsification is the most widely applied method of
treating water-in-crude oil emulsions and involves the use of chemical
additives to accelerate the emulsion breaking process. The effect of chemical
demulsification operations on the stability and properties of water-in-crude
oil emulsions was assessed experimentally. In this regard, Amine Demulsifier,
Polyhydric Alcohol, Acid and Polymeric demulsifiers were used. Using samples of
w/o, the data presented for several commercial-type demulsifiers show a strong
connection (correlation) between good performance (fast coalescence) and the
demulsifiers. The relative rates of water separation were characterized via
beaker tests. The amine group demulsifiers promoted best coalescence of
droplets. In contrast, polymeric demulsifier group is the least in water
separation.

Many
oil production processes present a significant challenge to oil and water
treating equipment design and operations. The nature of crude oil emulsions
changes continuously as the producing field depletes and condition change with
time. These changes create the need to consider future performance. When
designing treatment systems and those changes require an understanding of scale
and upscaling.

This research work
will explore all the theories and technologies involved in crude oil and water
treatment, starting with emulsion theory formation, stabilization and the
mechanism, though the technology to destabilize and separate from oil after the