scholarly journals The Oscillatory Spinning Drop Technique. An Innovative Method to Measure Dilational Interfacial Rheological Properties of Crude Oil-Brine Systems in the Presence of Asphaltenes

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 42
Author(s):  
Ronald Marquez ◽  
Johnny Bullon ◽  
Ana Forgiarini ◽  
Jean-Louis Salager
Keyword(s):  
Interfacial Tension ◽  
Crude Oil ◽  
Rheological Properties ◽  
Oil Recovery ◽  
Interfacial Rheology ◽  
Drop Method ◽  
Natural Surfactants ◽  
Low Interfacial Tension ◽  
Oil Water ◽  
Drop Technique

The oscillatory spinning drop method has been proven recently to be an accurate technique to measure dilational interfacial rheological properties. It is the only available equipment for measuring dilational moduli in low interfacial tension systems, as it is the case in applications dealing with surfactant-oil-water three-phase behavior like enhanced oil recovery, crude oil dehydration, or extreme microemulsion solubilization. Different systems can be studied, bubble-in-liquid, oil-in-water, microemulsion-in-water, oil-in-microemulsion, and systems with the presence of complex natural surfactants like asphaltene aggregates or particles. The technique allows studying the characteristics and properties of water/oil interfaces, particularly when the oil contains asphaltenes and when surfactants are present. In this work, we present a review of the measurements of crude oil-brine interfaces with the oscillating spinning drop technique. The review is divided into four sections. First, an introduction on the oscillating spinning drop technique, fundamental and applied concepts are presented. The three sections that follow are divided according to the complexity of the systems measured with the oscillating spinning drop, starting with simple surfactant-oil-water systems. Then the complexity increases, presenting interfacial rheology properties of crude oil-brine systems, and finally, more complex surfactant-crude oil-brine systems are reviewed. We have found that using the oscillating spinning drop method to measure interfacial rheology properties can help make precise measurements in a reasonable amount of time. This is of significance when systems with long equilibration times, e.g., asphaltene or high molecular weight surfactant-containing systems are measured, or with systems formulated with a demulsifier which is generally associated with low interfacial tension.

Physical Characteristics of Natural Films Formed at Crude Oil-Water Interfaces

1966 ◽  
Vol 6 (02) ◽  
pp. 153-165 ◽  
Author(s):  
O.K. Kimbler ◽  
R.L. Reed ◽  
I.H. Silberberg
Keyword(s):  
Interfacial Tension ◽  
Crude Oil ◽  
Oil Recovery ◽  
Interfacial Area ◽  
Physical Characteristics ◽  
Petroleum Production ◽  
Drop Method ◽  
Oil Water ◽  
Interfacial Films ◽  
Pendent Drop

Abstract Interfacial films have frequently been observed at interfaces between certain crude oils and water. Several investigators have postulated that the presence of these films should influence the efficiency of oil recovery in water drive or waterflood operations. They may also influence the stability of emulsions which are sometimes a problem in petroleum production, and may be a factor in the formation of paraffin deposits in oil well tubing and flow lines. This paper presents a technique with which a modified Langmuir film balance may be used to study the compressibility and collapse pressure of these natural interfacial films. Experimental data are presented for several crude oil-water systems. Data developed are used to infer the phase state of the film as a function of such variables as rate of reduction of interfacial area, ionic composition of the subtrate and pH of the subtrate. A film of known physical characteristics is shown to have a significant effect on oil recovery from an unconsolidated sand pack. Possible applications of these results to petroleum production are discussed. INTRODUCTION The use of water to displace petroleum from reservoir rocks is of major importance both as a primary and a secondary recovery process. As water invades the rock, oil is completely displaced from some pores and left as a discontinuous phase in other pores. The manner in which water moves from pore to pore is strongly influenced by capillary forces. In view of the complexity of reservoir fluid systems, there can be little doubt that complicated interactions take place at both the liquid-solid and oil-water interfaces. One of the more interesting, and least understood, of the phenomena which take place at the oil-water interface is the formation of interfacial films. These films are believed to result from the adsorption of high molecular weight polar molecules at the interface.1,2 Presence of such molecules may cause a striking alteration in interfacial tension. When the oil-water interfacial area of certain crudes is rapidly reduced, a thin region (film) about the interface assumes the appearance of a solid membrane, and striations, wrinkles and gross distortions may occur. If such a film is solid, it should greatly alter the interfacial tension normally assumed to exist between the oil and water phases. If the membrane is continuous, a solid phase would separate the oil and water. Interfacial films between crude oil and water were observed in 1949 by Bartell and Niederhauser3 who commented upon the apparent rigidity of the films and their possible importance in the petroleum industry. Morrell and Egloff4 had earlier attributed the extreme stability of emulsions of sea water in fuel oil to very stable asphaltic films. Numerous investigators have observed rigid films in the course of crude oil-water interfacial tension determinations by the pendent drop method. Several investigators5,6,2 have separated interfacially active materials from crudes and attempted to characterize them chemically. Reisberg and Doscher,2 using Ventura crude, showed the interfacial tension against water (as measured by the pendent drop method) to be affected by aging, contraction and expansion of the interface, and the pH of the water. These investigators attributed the adhesion of oil to a water-wetted surface and the distortions of flow paths in glass capillaries to the presence of rigid films. Dodd7 has studied the interfacial viscosity of adsorbed films and found them to be non-Newtonian in behavior. Craighead and Harvey8 reported a series of displacements in tubes packed with 60 mesh glass beads. They interpreted the results as indicating an effect of stearic acid films on waterflood recovery and imply that natural films may produce similar results.

Interfacial rheology of low interfacial tension systems using a new oscillating spinning drop method

2018 ◽  
Vol 519 ◽  
pp. 27-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
José M. Zamora ◽  
Ronald Marquez ◽  
Ana M. Forgiarini ◽  
Dominique Langevin ◽  
Jean-Louis Salager
Keyword(s):  
Interfacial Tension ◽  
Interfacial Rheology ◽  
Drop Method ◽  
Low Interfacial Tension

scholarly journals Evaluating the potential of natural surfactants in the petroleum industry: the case of hydrophobins

2018 ◽  
Vol 90 (2) ◽  
pp. 305-314 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marijana Blesic ◽  
Valentina Dichiarante ◽  
Roberto Milani ◽  
Markus Linder ◽  
Pierangelo Metrangolo
Keyword(s):  
Interfacial Tension ◽  
Oil Recovery ◽  
High Surface ◽  
Petroleum Industry ◽  
Hydrocarbon Mixture ◽  
Chemical Flooding ◽  
Biological Origin ◽  
Natural Surfactants ◽  
Oil Water ◽  
The Moment

AbstractEnhancing oil recovery from currently available reservoirs is a major issue for petroleum companies. Among the possible strategies towards this, chemical flooding through injection of surfactants into the wells seems to be particularly promising, thanks to their ability to reduce oil/water interfacial tension that promotes oil mobilization. Environmental concerns about the use of synthetic surfactants led to a growing interest in their replacement with surfactants of biological origin, such as lipopeptides and glycolipids produced by several microorganisms. Hydrophobins are small amphiphilic proteins produced by filamentous fungi with high surface activity and good emulsification properties, and may represent a novel sustainable tool for this purpose. We report here a thorough study of their stability and emulsifying performance towards a model hydrocarbon mixture, in conditions that mimic those of real oil reservoirs (high salinity and high temperature). Due to the moderate interfacial tension reduction induced in such conditions, the application of hydrophobins in enhanced oil recovery techniques does not appear feasible at the moment, at least in absence of co-surfactants. On the other hand, the obtained results showed the potential of hydrophobins in promoting the formation of a gel-like emulsion ‘barrier’ at the oil/water interface.

Tertiary Surfactant Flooding: Petroleum Sulfonate Composition-Efficacy Studies

1973 ◽  
Vol 13 (04) ◽  
pp. 191-199 ◽  
Author(s):  
Walter W. Gale ◽  
Erik I. Sandvik
Keyword(s):  
Interfacial Tension ◽  
Oil Recovery ◽  
Weight Distribution ◽  
Capillary Rise ◽  
Equivalent Weight ◽  
Residual Oil ◽  
Surfactant Flooding ◽  
Petroleum Sulfonate ◽  
Low Interfacial Tension ◽  
Oil Water

Abstract This paper discusses results of a laboratory program undertaken to define optimum petroleum program undertaken to define optimum petroleum sulfonates for use in surfactant flooding. Many refinery feedstocks, varying in molecular weight and aromatic content, were sulfonated using different processes, Resulting sulfonates were evaluated by measuring interracial tensions, adsorption-fractionation behavior, brine compatability, and oil recovery characteristics, as well as by estimating potential manufacturing costs. The best combination o[ these properties is achieved when highly aromatic feedstocks are sulfonated to yield surfactants having very broad equivalent weight distributions. Components of the high end of the equivalent weight distribution make an essential contribution to interfacial tension depression. This portion is also strongly adsorbed on mineral surfaces and has low water solubility. Middle Portions of the equivalent weight distribution serve as sacrificial adsorbates while lower equivalent weight components Junction as micellar solubilizers for heavy constituents. Results from linear laboratory oil-recovery tests demonstrate interactions of various portions of the equivalent weight distribution. portions of the equivalent weight distribution Introduction Four major criteria used in selecting a surfactant for a tertiary oil-recovery process are:low oil-water interfacial tension,low adsorption,compatibility with reservoir fluids andlow cost. Low interfacial tension reduces capillary forces trapping residual oil in porous media allowing the oil to be recovered. Attraction of surfactant to oil-water interfaces permits reduction of interfacial tension; however, attraction to rock-water interfaces can result in loss of surfactant to rock surfaces by adsorption. Surfactant losses can also arise from precipitation due to incompatibility with reservoir fluids. Low adsorption and low cost are primarily economic considerations, whereas low interfacial tension and compatibility are necessary for workability of the process itself. Petroleum sulfonates useful in surfactant flooding have been disclosed in several patents; however, virtually no detailed information is available in the nonpatent technical literature. Laboratory evaluation of surfactants consisted of determining their adsorption, interfacial tension, and oil recovery properties. Adsorption measurements were made by static equilibration of surfactant solutions with crushed rock and clays and by flowing surfactant solutions through various types of cores. Interfacial tensions were measured using pendant drop and capillary rise techniques. Berea, pendant drop and capillary rise techniques. Berea, Bartlesville, and in some cases, field cores containing brine and residual oil were flooded with sulfonate solutions in order to determine oil recovery. Fluids used in these displacement tests are described in Table 1. Unless otherwise specified, displacements of Borregos crude oil were carried out with Catahoula water as the resident aqueous phase after waterflooding and displacements of phase after waterflooding and displacements of Loudon crude oil with 1.5 percent NaCl as the resident aqueous phase. In those examples where banks of surfactants were injected, drive water following the surfactant had the same composition as the resident water. Concentrations of sulfonates are reported on a 100-percent activity basis. PETROLEUM SULFONATE CHEMISTRY PETROLEUM SULFONATE CHEMISTRY A substantial portion of the total research effort TABLE 1 - PROPERTIES OF FLUIDS USEDIN FLOODING TESTS

Interfacial tension of crude oil-water system with imidazolium and lactam-based ionic liquids and their evaluation for enhanced oil recovery under high saline environment

Fuel ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 191 ◽  
pp. 239-250 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sivabalan Sakthivel ◽  
Sugirtha Velusamy ◽  
Vishnu Chandrasekharan Nair ◽  
Tushar Sharma ◽  
Jitendra S. Sangwai
Keyword(s):  
Ionic Liquids ◽  
Interfacial Tension ◽  
Crude Oil ◽  
Enhanced Oil Recovery ◽  
Oil Recovery ◽  
Water System ◽  
Saline Environment ◽  
Oil Water

scholarly journals Study of Influences of Fracture Additives on Stability of Crude Oil Emulsion

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 118-128
Author(s):  
Hongbo Fang ◽  
Mingxia Wang ◽  
Xiaoyun Liu ◽  
Weinan Jin ◽  
Xiangyang Ma ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Interfacial Tension ◽  
Crude Oil ◽  
Oil Recovery ◽  
Oil Field ◽  
Stable Emulsion ◽  
Water Emulsion ◽  
High Efficient ◽  
Fracture Fluid ◽  
Oil Water ◽  
The Stability

Background: A hydraulic fracture is a key technology to increase production of the low permeability oil fields. Fracture additives such as gels, friction reducers, pH adjusters and clay stabilizers were injected into the underground. While more than 50% of the fracture fluid remains underground. The residue of fracture fluid comes out with the produced liquid (a mixture of crude oil and water) in the subsequent oil recovery process, which results in a highly stable crude oil-water emulsion. Objective: The stability and stable mechanism of the emulsion with fracture fluid have been experimentally investigated. Materials and Methods: The influences of fracture additives and components of crude oil on the stability of emulsion were investigated by bottle test and microscopic examination. The interfacial tension and modulus of dilation were explored by a spinning drop interfacial tension meter and an interface expansion rheometer, respectively. Results: The fracture additives played the key role on the emulsion stability. On one hand, the interface energy of oil-water was reduced by friction reducer (IFT was decreased from 24.0 mN/m to 1.9 mN/m), which was a favor for the formation of an emulsion. On the other hand, the dilational modulus of crude oil-water film was increased by hydroxypropyl guar and pH adjuster (Na2CO3) to form a viscoelastic film, which resulted in a highly stable emulsion. Conclusion: The residual fracture fluid accompanied by produced liquid resulted in a highly stable emulsion. The emulsion with fracture additives was difficult to be broken, which may affect the normal production of the oil field. A positive strategy such as developing demulsifier with high efficient should be put onto the schedule.

Interfacial Tension Prediction of Readily-Mixed Waxy Crude Oil Emulsion at Pour Point Temperature

2019 ◽  
Vol 818 ◽  
pp. 62-71
Author(s):  
Harvin Kaur ◽  
Azuraien Jaafar
Keyword(s):  
Interfacial Tension ◽  
Crude Oil ◽  
Oil Recovery ◽  
Production Efficiency ◽  
Emulsion Stability ◽  
Interfacial Rheology ◽  
Waxy Crude Oil ◽  
Oil Emulsion ◽  
Waxy Crude ◽  
Measurement Protocol

In the industry, stubborn emulsion still constitutes up to 20% of the total emulsion volume. The existing remediation strategies for emulsion treatment rely heavily on the study of heavy crude oil emulsion. However, minimal information is available on integrating interfacial rheology with emulsion stability on waxy crude oil emulsion. The proposed research provides a study to the development of integration between interfacial rheology and emulsion stability so that it can be a quick assessment but an accurate method to measure emulsion stability. The primary objectives of the research are to provide an extensional study to the design development of a comprehensive interfacial rheology protocol for the assessment of emulsion stability by developing a method of testing and monitoring the interfacial rheology and to investigate the demulsification ability of the waxy crude oil emulsion subjected to microbial treatment. The novelty of this study is to use the newly developed measurement protocol via interfacial rheology to predict emulsion stability. Application of the microbes on waxy crude oil to breakdown the water-in-oil emulsion using a rheometer will also be explored. The treatment is targeted to disintegrate the interfacial layer within the emulsion leading to better oil recovery. Rheological properties of the emulsion will be monitored upon the microbial injection to analyze the effects of the treatment on the rheology of emulsion. The outcomes from this research is that the newly developed protocol will predict emulsion stability that could resolve the stubborn emulsion issues via the developed interfacial rheology protocol, which could be time-saving and increases the production efficiency. This research paper is a study to develop a correlation on surface tension and interfacial tension between crude oil, water and a readily-mixed emulsion.

SARA-Based Correlation To Describe the Effect of Polar/Nonpolar Interaction, Salinity, and Temperature for Interfacial Tension of Low-Asphaltene Crude Oils Characteristic of Unconventional Shale Reservoirs

SPE Journal ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
I. W. R. Saputra ◽  
D. S. Schechter
Keyword(s):  
Interfacial Tension ◽  
Crude Oil ◽  
Oil Recovery ◽  
Petroleum Engineering ◽  
Crude Oils ◽  
Oil Composition ◽  
Surface Activities ◽  
Low Salinity ◽  
Oil Water ◽  
Shale Reservoirs

Summary Oil/water interfacial tension (IFT) is an important parameter in petroleum engineering, especially for enhanced-oil-recovery (EOR) techniques. Surfactant and low-salinity EOR target IFT reduction to improve oil recovery. IFT values can be determined by empirical correlation, but widely used thermodynamic-based correlations do not account for the surface-activities characteristic of the polar/nonpolar interactions caused by naturally existing components in the crude oil. In addition, most crude oils included in these correlations come from conventional reservoirs, which are often dissimilar to the low-asphaltene crude oils produced from shale reservoirs. This study presents a novel oil-composition-based IFT correlation that can be applied to shale-crude-oil samples. The correlation is dependent on the saturates/aromatics/resins/asphaltenes (SARA) analysis of the oil samples. We show that the crude oil produced from most unconventional reservoirs contains little to no asphaltic material. In addition, a more thorough investigation of the effect of oil components, salinity, temperature, and their interactions on the oil/water IFT is provided and explained using the mutual polarity/solubility concept. Fifteen crude-oil samples from prominent US shale plays (i.e., Eagle Ford, Middle Bakken, and Wolfcamp) are included in this study. IFT was measured in systems with salinity from 0 to 24% and temperatures up to 195°F.

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