When oil spills emulsify
Cleanup operations of oil spills must take into account the numerous detrimental effects attributable to the emulsification of spilled oil into a stable water-in-oil mousse. The incorporation of water greatly increases the volume of the polluted material. The viscous nature of mousse impedes the efficient operation of most mechanical recovery equipment and results in a cohesive slick that resists dispersion, both natural and artificial. The rate at which spilled oil emulsifies determines the effective window of opportunity for specific countermeasures. Much has been learned from previous studies on petroleum emulsification, but is still remain a poorly understood phenomenon. Although most crude oils can be emulsified, not all spills result in the formation of stable mousse. The formation of mousse results from a complex series of processes. Whether an oil will form mousse or not, and if so, at what rate, depends on an array of different factors including the properties of the oil and the prevailing environmental conditions. We need a greater understanding of the emulsification process to better predict the emulsification behavior of oil spills and utilize the most appropriate countermeasures available. In this paper, the authors report on work to elucidate the role that physicochemical factors play in determining an oil's tendency to emulsify. The authors studied the emulsification behavior of oils of known composition to examine the importance of oil chemistry in the emulsification process.
- OSTI ID:
- 7296526
- Journal Information:
- CHEMTECH; (United States), Vol. 22:4; ISSN 0009-2703
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
29 ENERGY PLANNING
POLICY AND ECONOMY
OIL SPILLS
CLEANING
PETROLEUM INDUSTRY
WATER POLLUTION
REMEDIAL ACTION
EMULSIONS
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY
PLANNING
WATER POLLUTION CONTROL
COLLOIDS
CONTROL
DISPERSIONS
GOVERNMENT POLICIES
INDUSTRY
POLLUTION
POLLUTION CONTROL
020900* - Petroleum- Environmental Aspects
540350 - Environment
Aquatic- Site Resource & Use Studies- (1990-)
540320 - Environment
Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)
294002 - Energy Planning & Policy- Petroleum