CHEMICAL DEMULSIFICATION OF MODEL WATER-IN-OIL EMULSIONS WITH LOW WATER CONTENT BY MEANS OF IONIC LIQUIDS

Effective remediation of petrochemical originated pollutants using engineered materials with multifunctional entities

The highly robust, effective, and sustainable remediation of hydrocarbon-contaminated wastewater matrices, which is mainly generated from petroleum and related petrochemical industries, is of supreme interest. Owing to the notable presence of suspended solids, oil, and grease, organic matter, highly toxic elements, high salts, and recalcitrant chemicals, crude oil emulsions, and hydrocarbon-contaminated wastewater are considered a potential threat to the environments, animals, plants, and humans. To effectively tackle this challenging issue, magnetic hybrid materials assembled at nano- and micro-scale with unique structural, chemical, and functional entities are considered robust candidates for demulsification purposes. The current research era on magnetic materials has superwettability, leading to an effective system of superwettability, which is vibrant and promising. The wettability of magnetic and magnetic hybrid materials explaining the theme of superhydrophobicity and superhydrophilicity under the liquid. Herein, we reviewed the applications of magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) as effective demulsifiers. The demulsifier wettability, dose, pH, salinity, and surface morphology of compelling, magnetic nanoparticles are the main hidden factors in effective demulsifiers. There is a comprehensive discussion on the reuse and recyclability of MNPs after oil, water separation. Furthermore, the main challenges, coupled with the magnetic nanoparticles in the effective separation of emulsions, are intensified in detail. This review will compare the current literature and the utilization of MNPs for the demulsification of oil and water emulsions. This is envisioned that the MNPs would be critical in the petroleum and petrochemical industry to effectively eliminate water from a crude oil emulsion.

Peculiarities of Dewatering Technology for Heavy High-Viscosity Crude Oils of Eastern Region of Ukraine

High-viscosity crude oils from the Yablunivske field (Ukraine, Poltava region) have been studied. The oils were diluted with gas condensate to reduce viscosity, and then various demulsifiers were added. It was established that it is expedient to dilute oil with heavy gas condensate and dehydrate it with PM-1441 brand A non-ionogenic demulsifier, based on block copolymers of ethylene and propylene oxides. The dewatering degree was found to be 95 %.

Stability Dynamic Characteristic of Oil-in-Water Emulsion from Alkali-Surfactant-Polymer Flooding

The relationship model between the droplet lifetime and interface properties is established to characterize the stability of oil droplets, and then, the influence of the alkali-surfactant-polymer (ASP) concentration on the lifetime is analyzed by theoretical calculations. The stability dynamic characteristics of oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions from ASP flooding were evaluated using the emulsion stability model (Civan model) based on two-phase separation. The effect of ASP on dynamic characteristics of the emulsion was explored by analyzing film strength qualitatively and measuring interfacial tension and ζ potential. The results showed that the Civan model was suitable to evaluate the stability of the O/W emulsion and to obtain the corresponding dynamic characteristics. The O/W emulsions became more stable with the increasing alkali concentration first at a low alkali concentration (c _NaOH < 200 mg/L) and then became less stable with the increasing alkali concentration at a high alkali concentration (c _NaOH > 200 mg/L). The stabilities of O/W emulsions were improved with the increasing concentrations of the surfactant and polymer. The mechanism of stabilization of the O/W emulsion by ASP is as follows. The surface-active substances formed by the reaction of alkali and acidic substances in the oil phase, together with surfactants, adsorb at the oil-water interface, reducing the interfacial tension and increasing the strength of the oil-water interface film. The polymer only increases the strength of the interface film by increasing the viscoelasticity of the oil-water interface film.

Ultrasound-assisted dewatering of crude oil from Kumkol oilfield

Reducing the water content of crude oil is a necessary step in preparing oil for transportation and processing. This task is complicated by the presence of stable water-in-oil emulsions. The most widely used approach to oil demulsification is exploring chemical demulsifiers. However, the high cost and impossibility of regenerating the latter require the search for new ways to destroy water-oil emulsions. One of the promising areas is the use of ultrasound. This paper presents the results of studies on the ultrasonic treatment of four samples of emulsions with different water content (8.74; 15; 25 and 30 vol.%) based on oil from the Kumkol oilfield (Kazakhstan). Samples of emulsions were subjected to ultrasonic action at a frequency of 40 kHz for 5-60 min at a temperature of 70±1°C, followed by settling for 40 min at the indicated temperature. The influence of the initial water content in the emulsion, the acoustic intensity, as well as the duration of ultrasonic treatment on the dewatering ratio was investigated. It was found that the residual water content in the oil was 5.04- 7.82 vol.%. Ultrasonic treatment of crude oil from the Kumkol oilfield can be used for preliminary dewatering, to subsequently reduce the consumption of chemical demulsifiers.

Application of Ionic Liquids for Chemical Demulsification: A Review

In recent years, ionic liquids have received increasing interests as an effective demulsifier due to their characteristics of non-flammability, thermal stability, recyclability, and low vapor pressure. In this study, emulsion formation and types, chemical demulsification system, the application of ionic liquids as a chemical demulsifier, and key factors affecting their performance were comprehensively reviewed. Future challenges and opportunities of ionic liquids application for chemical demulsification were also discussed. The review indicted that the demulsification performance was affected by the type, molecular weight, and concentration of ionic liquids. Moreover, other factors, including the salinity of aqueous phase, temperature, and oil types, could affect the demulsification process. It can be concluded that ionic liquids can be used as a suitable substitute for commercial demulsifiers, but future efforts should be required to develop non-toxic and less expensive ionic liquids with low viscosity, and the demulsification efficiency could be improved through the application of ionic liquids with other methods such as organic solvents.