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Spontaneous emulsification and the effect of interfacial fluid properties on coalescence and emulsion stability in caustic flooding

Journal Article · · ACS Symp. Ser.; (United States)
OSTI ID:7039059
; ; ; ;

Observations are presented on the difference in behavior of emulsification processes which can occur during surfactant and caustic flooding in enhanced recovery of petroleum. Cinephotomicrographic observations on emulsion characteristics generated at the California crude oil-alkaline solution interface as well as in the Illinois crude oil-petroleum sulfonate system are reported. The interdroplet coalescence behavior of oil-water emulsion systems appears to be quite different in enhanced oil recovery processes employing various alkaline agents as opposed to surfactant/polymer systems. First, the spontaneous emulsification mechanisms in the petroleum sulfonate and caustic systems is reported. This is followed by the kinetics of coalescence in alkaline systems for both the Thums Long Beach (heavy) crude oil and the Huntington Beach (less viscous) crude oil. Measurements of interfacial viscosity, interfacial tension, interfacial charge, and micellar aggregate distributions are presented. Interrelationships between these properties and coalescence rates have been established. 35 references.

OSTI ID:
7039059
Journal Information:
ACS Symp. Ser.; (United States), Journal Name: ACS Symp. Ser.; (United States) Vol. 91; ISSN ACSMC
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
BENCH-SCALE EXPERIMENTS
CAUSTIC FLOODING
COALESCENCE
COLLOIDS
CORRELATIONS
DISPERSIONS
EMULSIFICATION
EMULSIONS
ENERGY SOURCES
ENHANCED RECOVERY
ESTERS
FLUID INJECTION
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
INTERFACES
KINETICS
MICELLAR SYSTEMS
MINERAL RESOURCES
OIL WELLS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC SULFUR COMPOUNDS
PETROLEUM
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
PETROLEUM SULFONATES
PHOTOGRAPHY
POLYMERS
POTENTIALS
REACTION KINETICS
RECOVERY
RESOURCES
SULFONATES
SULFONIC ACID ESTERS
SURFACE POTENTIAL
SURFACE PROPERTIES
SURFACE TENSION
SURFACTANTS
VISCOSITY
WATERFLOODING
WELLS