Improvement in demulsification of Iraqi crude oil with water removal demulsifiers in oil fields

Abstract

This study is targeted to present an overall survey on the most eminent techniques and methods that could be used in treating petroleum emulsions. Presently, the generally used way for handling petroleum emulsion is the process of chemical additives, known as demulsifers. Considered nanomaterials are materials used for boosting oil restoration. This project discusses whether the collection of demulsifiers and nanomaterials can supply a much stable emulsion than demulsifiers only to obtain the best method of removal of water phase from crude oil emulsion mixture. Previous studies carried out two sections of experiments in their search. First were performed utilizing three kinds of demulsifiers; non-ionic, ionic, and cationic demulsifier. Trade names of those demusifiers were Poly Ethylene glycol (PEG), sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS), and cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB). The other section utilized groups of self-same demulsifiers referred to at the top with nanomaterials were aluminium oxide (Al2O3) (60nm). These experiments were carried out using laboratory batch of homogenizer stirrer. These two sections were investigated with effect of different parameters such as; the kind of substance and the concentration or dosage of demulsifiers, various proportion of water to oil, stirring temperature, stirring speed of mixing, various of pH, TDS, on the efficiency of water removal. The sample test of case study used Iraqi crude oil (Basra & Kirkuk Oil fields.The results reached efficiency water removal of (86%) by (SDS) at optimum operating parameters, so, it is better than other chemical demulsifiers reaching the efficiency water removal (84%) by (CTAB) and (67%) with (PEG). However, the maximum efficiency improved within the range 88-90% of water separation from oil was obtained with using a blend of SDS with non-materials of (Al2O3) at optimum values of parameters.