Optimum demulsifier formulations for Nigerian crude oil-water emulsions

The formation of crude emulsion during oil production and processing is a challenge of significant proportions to the oil producers. Studies show that about two third of Nigerian crude oil production is in form of water in oil emulsion. For economic and operational reasons, it is necessary to separa...

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Main Authors: Olusiji Ayoade Adeyanju, Layioye Ola Oyekunle
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Egyptian Petroleum Research Institute 2018-12-01
Series:Egyptian Journal of Petroleum
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1110062117302143
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author Olusiji Ayoade Adeyanju
Layioye Ola Oyekunle
author_facet Olusiji Ayoade Adeyanju
Layioye Ola Oyekunle
author_sort Olusiji Ayoade Adeyanju
collection DOAJ
description The formation of crude emulsion during oil production and processing is a challenge of significant proportions to the oil producers. Studies show that about two third of Nigerian crude oil production is in form of water in oil emulsion. For economic and operational reasons, it is necessary to separate the water completely from the crude oil before transportation or refining.Efficiency of separation of crude emulsions is of major importance to producers. To this end, this study primarily seeks to investigate the formulation of effective demulsifier that can be used to achieve this aim; and in so doing, the optimal separation efficiency attainable by this demulsification process is determined. Six different samples of water and oil soluble demulsifiers were used on two different samples of synthetic emulsion (sample I and II (both water in oil emulsion) from different Nigerian oil fields). The bottle test method was used to determine the percentage water separation for each crude oil emulsion/chemicals (demulsifiers) mixture. The concentrations of the combined six chemicals (demulsifier samples A–F) in the mixture were related to the percentage water separation using response surface methodology central composite design (RSMCCD).Results show that the optimum concentrations of demulsifiers A–F are 59 ppm/39 ppm/29 ppm/20 ppm/29 ppm/13 ppm respectively for crude oil sample I. While 54 ppm/40 ppm/25 ppm/21 ppm/29 ppm/8 ppm respectively were observed as optimum concentration for crude oil II. The combination of these chemical was observed to return better performance than the existing commercial demulsifiers with percentage water separation of 92% and 94% compared to percentage water separation of 87% and 90% returned by one of the currently available demulsifier used in the petroleum industry for crude oil A and B respectively. Hence, the need to carry out optimization analyses on different emulsified crude oil cannot be over-emphasize. Keywords: Demulsifier, Variable interaction, Optimal formulation, Emulsion destabilization, Interfacial active agent
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spelling doaj-art-ab149c81bb5b45f2bba9ea93d7f199b62025-08-20T03:24:30ZengEgyptian Petroleum Research InstituteEgyptian Journal of Petroleum1110-06212018-12-0127465766210.1016/j.ejpe.2017.10.001Optimum demulsifier formulations for Nigerian crude oil-water emulsionsOlusiji Ayoade Adeyanju0Layioye Ola Oyekunle1Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, University of Lagos, Nigeria; Corresponding author.Department of Petroleum Engineering, Covenant University, Otta, Ogun State, NigeriaThe formation of crude emulsion during oil production and processing is a challenge of significant proportions to the oil producers. Studies show that about two third of Nigerian crude oil production is in form of water in oil emulsion. For economic and operational reasons, it is necessary to separate the water completely from the crude oil before transportation or refining.Efficiency of separation of crude emulsions is of major importance to producers. To this end, this study primarily seeks to investigate the formulation of effective demulsifier that can be used to achieve this aim; and in so doing, the optimal separation efficiency attainable by this demulsification process is determined. Six different samples of water and oil soluble demulsifiers were used on two different samples of synthetic emulsion (sample I and II (both water in oil emulsion) from different Nigerian oil fields). The bottle test method was used to determine the percentage water separation for each crude oil emulsion/chemicals (demulsifiers) mixture. The concentrations of the combined six chemicals (demulsifier samples A–F) in the mixture were related to the percentage water separation using response surface methodology central composite design (RSMCCD).Results show that the optimum concentrations of demulsifiers A–F are 59 ppm/39 ppm/29 ppm/20 ppm/29 ppm/13 ppm respectively for crude oil sample I. While 54 ppm/40 ppm/25 ppm/21 ppm/29 ppm/8 ppm respectively were observed as optimum concentration for crude oil II. The combination of these chemical was observed to return better performance than the existing commercial demulsifiers with percentage water separation of 92% and 94% compared to percentage water separation of 87% and 90% returned by one of the currently available demulsifier used in the petroleum industry for crude oil A and B respectively. Hence, the need to carry out optimization analyses on different emulsified crude oil cannot be over-emphasize. Keywords: Demulsifier, Variable interaction, Optimal formulation, Emulsion destabilization, Interfacial active agenthttp://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1110062117302143
spellingShingle Olusiji Ayoade Adeyanju
Layioye Ola Oyekunle
Optimum demulsifier formulations for Nigerian crude oil-water emulsions
Egyptian Journal of Petroleum
title Optimum demulsifier formulations for Nigerian crude oil-water emulsions
title_full Optimum demulsifier formulations for Nigerian crude oil-water emulsions
title_fullStr Optimum demulsifier formulations for Nigerian crude oil-water emulsions
title_full_unstemmed Optimum demulsifier formulations for Nigerian crude oil-water emulsions
title_short Optimum demulsifier formulations for Nigerian crude oil-water emulsions
title_sort optimum demulsifier formulations for nigerian crude oil water emulsions
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1110062117302143
work_keys_str_mv AT olusijiayoadeadeyanju optimumdemulsifierformulationsfornigeriancrudeoilwateremulsions
AT layioyeolaoyekunle optimumdemulsifierformulationsfornigeriancrudeoilwateremulsions