Commercial Demulsifiers Research Articles

A critical evaluation of novel demulsifying agents based on acrylic terpolymers for Mexican heavy crude oils dehydration

• Random acrylic terpolymers as demulsifying agents for crude oil. • Trifunctional molecule with exceptional dehydrating and clarifying capacities. • Higher performance to dehydrate crude oils than commercial formulations. • Prediction of dehydrating efficiency as function of the crude oil properties. A novel kind of random acrylic terpolymers based on butyl acrylate (B), 2-(dimethylamino)ethyl acrylate (Ae), and 2-carboxyethyl acrylate (Ce) monomers was obtained by emulsion polymerization. Monomers’ weight ratios were varied, keeping in all cases a higher content of butyl acrylate (60, 70, 80, and 90 wt%) and controlling the number average molecular mass ( M ¯ n ) during polymerization. The random acrylic terpolymers were characterized by spectroscopic techniques; subsequently evaluated as demulsifier agents in three aged heavy crude oils of 7.55, 6.11, and 3.33 °API (apparent gravities), which form very stable water-in-oil (W/O) emulsions. The best performance for removing the emulsified water at 80 °C was obtained with terpolymers containing 90–80 wt% of the hydrophobic monomer B and small amounts of the hydrophilic monomers Ae and Ce (BAeCe-9551 and BAeCe-8111), being more efficient than two commercial demulsifiers (FDH-1 and F-46 TRETOLITE™). Moreover, the BAeCe-9551 terpolymer was evaluated in a fresh heavy crude oil of 20.2 °API at 60 °C — temperature of separation tanks —, showing better performance as breaker, coalescer, and clarifier than FDH-1. Finally, a quantitative structure–activity relationship (QSAR) analysis was carried out employing terpolymers’ molecular parameters and crude oils’ physicochemical parameters. Only one equation fulfilled all thresholds for Q F 1 2 , Q F 2 2 , Q F 3 2 , and r m 2 parameters, proving to be the most accurate to predict the water removal efficiency (WRE) of BAeCe-1 and BAeCe-2 series terpolymers when added to heavy crude oils. This correlation will allow selecting the best terpolymer for demulsifying a petroleum stream as a function of its physicochemical characteristics.

High positively charged Fe3O4 nanocomposites for efficient and recyclable demulsification of hexadecane-water micro-emulsion

Oily wastewater not only causes major environmental issues, but also threatens human health. Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) are an attractively alternative commercial demulsifiers for their recyclability and high surface area. The wettability and surface charge of magnetic materials are significant factors in oily wastewater treatment. However, the specific influence of surface charge on the demulsification performance has not been rigorously investigated. Herein, a series of MNPs coated by dimethyl-diallyl-ammonium chloride (PDDA) and fulvic acid (FA) (Fe3O4/FA/PDDA) with different surface positive charges were synthesized by adjusting the PDDA concentrations and applied in demulsification of hexadecane-water micro-emulsion. The oil-water separation efficiency (Es) was enhanced gradually with increasing the surface positive charge of demulsifiers. Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (DLVO) theory confirmed that with increasing surface positive potential, the electrostatic attraction between demulsifiers and oil droplets increased, and thus, Es increased. In addition, the superior Es of Fe3O4/FA MNPs for hexadecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB)-stabilized micro-emulsions and Fe3O4/FA/PDDA MNPs for sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-stabilized micro-emulsions further confirmed that electrostatic force was critical in demulsification. The high positively charged Fe3O4/FA/PDDA MNPs can be used as an efficient and recyclable demulsifier for hexadecane-water micro-emulsion. This study provides a theoretical basis for designing demulsifiers.

Evaluation of the efficiency of ionic liquids in the demulsification of oil-in-water emulsions

The production of oil in water emulsions (O/W-EMUL) is prevalent in the petroleum sector due to the presence of several stabilizers; however, O/W-EMUL is an unwanted phenomenon. Given that, this study evaluates the efficiency of three ionic liquids (ILs), two halogenide ILs (HILs-1, HILs-2), and one is non-halogenide IL (Non-HIL) as demulsifiers for the recovery of oil from O/W-EMUL at a concentration of 500 mg/L. The percentage demulsification efficiency (D%) (i.e., the percentage of oil removed from the O/W-EMUL) was examined using tube and bottle tests. The results of the bottle tests demonstrated that the halogenide ionic liquids (HILs) could achieve a higher D% in comparison to the Non-HIL. The D% achieved within 20 min of treatment with HILs-1, HILs-2, and Non-HIL was found to be ∼97.7%, 88.2%, and 85.2%, respectively. Increasing the volume of ILs (VILs), which are normally recycled, can help overcome the surfactant’s effect to achieve a D% > 95%. The demulsification mechanism is based on ion exchange between the anionic part of the ILs and the oil–surfactant interphase. Recycling the ILs can be enhanced by reestablishing the IL anion part using water-free inversed ion exchange mixed with salts. The results suggest that ILs can be an appropriate substitute for commercial demulsifiers. Though, further efforts are needed to produce non-toxic and cost-effective ILs with low viscosity. The efficiency of the demulsification process may be further enhanced when using ILs with other separation processes. The achieved results support upcoming research works that apply ILs for oil removal from O/W-EMUL.

Prospects of Breaking Crude Oil Emulsions Using Demulsifier Formulated from <i>Nicotiana tabacum </i>Seed Oil, Leaf Extracts, and Stalk Ash Extracts

The presence of crude oil emulsions in oil production and processing systems has been a great concern to industry worldwide. Several methods are available for breaking crude oil emulsions; however, Chemical method is the common demulsification method. Fossil-based materials are mainly used to develop these demulsifiers. Given the recent environmental and sustainability concerns, focus has shifted to the use of bio-based materials like agricultural plant extracts as alternatives to fossil-based demulsifiers. In this study, the prospects of breaking crude oil emulsions using demulsifiers produced from <i>Nicotiana tabacum</i> seed oil, leaf extracts, and stalk ash were evaluated. The study is based on the need for local production of demulsifiers in Nigeria, the need for more environmentally friendly and sustainable operations; and the need to put <i>Nicotiana tabacum</i> into alternative use due to its associated health hazards when consumed and its massive cultivation. The results of the physiochemical properties of <i>Nicotiana tabacum</i> seed oil; the phytochemical analysis of Nicotiana tabacum leaf extracts, and the potash concentrations of <i>Nicotiana tabacum</i> stalk ash extract showed the presence of hydrophilic and hydrophobic components of demulsifiers. The properties of the formulated demulsifier are similar to those of the commercial demulsifiers. The bottle tests results showed that the formulated demulsifier is capable of breaking medium and high-density crude oil emulsions. Hence, the formulated demulsifier performed comparably to the commercial demulsifiers.

Application of Ionic Liquids for Chemical Demulsification: A Review.

In recent years, ionic liquids have received increasing interests as an effective demulsifier due to their characteristics of non-flammability, thermal stability, recyclability, and low vapor pressure. In this study, emulsion formation and types, chemical demulsification system, the application of ionic liquids as a chemical demulsifier, and key factors affecting their performance were comprehensively reviewed. Future challenges and opportunities of ionic liquids application for chemical demulsification were also discussed. The review indicted that the demulsification performance was affected by the type, molecular weight, and concentration of ionic liquids. Moreover, other factors, including the salinity of aqueous phase, temperature, and oil types, could affect the demulsification process. It can be concluded that ionic liquids can be used as a suitable substitute for commercial demulsifiers, but future efforts should be required to develop non-toxic and less expensive ionic liquids with low viscosity, and the demulsification efficiency could be improved through the application of ionic liquids with other methods such as organic solvents.

Experimental of alternative demulsifier formulation from corn oil in overcoming water–oil emulsion

An emulsion is one of the problems that often occur in oil production activities. Emulsions happen when water is produced with oil. The presence of emulsions in crude oil makes it difficult for crude oil to be processed and the quality of the oil does not become good because it causes water to be contained in crude oil. An effort to overcome is to use a demulsifier. This study aims to test the demulsifier from corn oil. It will be processed with the saponification process to become a demulsifier. KOH and glycerin are used as additives in the saponification process. The substances found in corn oil are palmitic acid, linoleic acid, stearic acid, linolenic acid, and oleic acid. In the demulsification process used three various demulsifiers. There are commercial demulsifier (DK), green demulsifier 1 (DG1), green demulsifier 2 (DG2). Green demulsifier 1 and green demulsifier 2 are demulsifiers mixture by corn oil process, whereas the commercial demulsifier is chemical used to in the field. Demulsifier derived from corn oil are expected to have the ability to separate water from oil better than commercial demulsifiers. Demulsifier testing is done using the bottle test method. The test was carried out for 180 min and carried out observations every 30 min. The bottle test method was carried out using a water bath. Demulsifiers made from natural ingredients have better abilities than commercial demulsifiers. The best test results by the green demulsifier at 80 °C with a concentration of 5 ml separated 39 ml of water. While the commercial demulsifier with a concentration of 5 ml separates 32 ml of water. So demulsifier made from corn oil is more effective in separating water than commercial demulsifiers.

Separation of silicone oil droplets dispersed in activated sludge

ABSTRACT A process in three steps involving a gas-liquid contactor with an organic phase, a TPPB and a liquid/liquid separator to recover the organic phase for its recycling was proposed to treat hydrophobic Volatile Organic Compounds. Among the processes tested for liquid/liquid separation (settling, hydrocyclone and centrifugation), the latter appeared to be the most efficient. The centrifugal acceleration needed for the separation of oil and water was found to be dependent on the viscosity of the oil used and the presence of microorganisms. The force required for phases’ separation was found to be reduced in the presence of selected commercial demulsifiers.

Demulsification of Colombian Heavy Crude Oil (W/O) Emulsions: Insights into the Instability Mechanisms, Chemical Structure, and Performance of Different Commercial Demulsifiers

Chemical products such as PEO/PPO block copolymers or alkoxylated resins tend to work well in chemical demulsification of light hydrocarbons (°API > 20) but fail to do so in the presence of heavy a...

Coalescence Behavior of Stable Pendent Drop Pairs Held at Different Electric Potentials.

In this work, we studied the electrocoalescence behavior of stable pendent drop pairs and compared the results with clean drops, where the interface is void of surface-active compounds. The drop phase was brine and the drop-oil interface was stabilized by aging into asphaltene and demulsifier solutions. The experiments involving asphaltene-laden drops required the bulk phase to be clear for visualization of the drops, which is realized by a procedure to replace the asphaltene-containing dark bulk phase by a pure solvent mixture. The narrowly spaced pendent drops, maintained at different electric potentials, acquired net surface charge of opposite polarity, which led to the Coulombic attraction in the drop pair. After the application of voltage, a drop pair was observed to remain at a standstill, attracted, or coalesced depending on the interdrop separation, drop size, and potential difference. We systematically investigated the influence of different surface-active compounds on interfacial stabilization and electrostatic drop-drop attraction and coalescence behavior. Interestingly, the experimental data showed that a drop pair coalesces at a lower potential (ΔVcrit) when the drop-oil interface is populated with the surface-active molecules. Similarly, the minimum voltage (ΔVm) needed to induce attraction between two stable drops and the degree of the attraction are different than those of the clean drops. Furthermore, the demulsifier-laden drops exhibited dissimilar attraction, coalescence, and noncoalescence characteristics to the drops stabilized in asphaltene solutions. Our analysis suggested that the asphaltenes and the commercial demulsifiers differently influenced the drops' response to the applied electric potential. The contrasting coalescence nature of the stable drops could be attributed to a complex interplay between hydrodynamics, electrostatics, and interfacial reorganization of the molecules and charges.

A novel oxygen-containing demulsifier for efficient breaking of water-in-oil emulsions

A novel aliphatic alcohol nonionic polyether (MJTJU-2) has been successfully synthesized by esterification and polymerization. It is found that this new polyether is efficient in fast demulsifying the water-in-oil emulsions, including water-in-diesel emulsion, water-in-crude oil emulsion, water-in-asphalt oil emulsion and water-in-asphaltenes solution emulsion, etc. Take the most stable emulsion (interfacially active asphaltene (IAA)-stabilized emulsions) as an example, almost complete dehydration (>97%) to the emulsions could be achieved in less than 15 min at 60 °C using 400 ppm of MJTJU-2. This demulsification of IAA-stabilized emulsions is much faster than other reported work by traditional or commercial demulsifiers (up to several hours). To comprehensively understand how the MJTJU-2 influence the demulsification efficiency, the operational parameters (e.g., demulsifier dosage, temperature, settling time) have been systematically investigated and optimized. The excellent performance of MJTJU-2 in demulsifying the oil-water emulsions is considered mainly to be ascribed to the rich hydrophilic groups (i.e., hydroxyl, ester groups, carboxyl groups, ether groups) in the demulsifier molecules. These oxygen-containing groups help to break the IAA-formed film at the oil-water interface, which would be replaced by newly formed bonding. These findings suggest that the MJTJU-2 demulsifier would be potential engineering efficient process aids for the demulsification of water-in-oil emulsions.

Emulsion stability with nanoparticles and utilization of demulsifiers for break-up

A state-of-the-art Portable Dispersion Characterization Rig (P-DCR) is used to generate emulsions with Exxsol mineral oil, commercial distilled water, as well as hydrophilic and hydrophobic silica nanoparticles (NP) as emulsifiers. The emulsion is prepared in the P-DCR batch separator vessel, whereby the separation kinetics are observed and recorded. In this study, two data sets are acquired, as follows: 1) Emulsion stabilization utilizing nanoparticles (Data Set I); and 2) Emulsion break-up using demulsifiers (Data Set II).Data Set I includes experiments conducted with mineral oil and distilled water as test fluids, and spherical silica nanoparticles of 20 nm mean diameter at concentrations of 0.01% and 1% by weight. The emulsions are created at a rotational speed of 600 RPM and at three water-cuts of 25%, 50% and 75%. Data for the hydrophobic particles, dispersed initially in the oil phase, confirm that highest emulsion stability is obtained with 25% water-cut, and only oil creaming occurs, while the emulsion is very resistant to water coalescence and sedimentation. The data also show that the separation rate improves with increasing water-cut to higher values. The second phase of Set I experiments includes the effects of hydrophilic nanoparticles, where the particles are initially dispersed in the water phase. The data demonstrate that in contrast to the hydrophobic particles, fast separation occurs at 25% water-cut, and increasing water-cut resulted to slower oil creaming process. Emulsions with combination of hydrophilic and hydrophobic particles is the last phase of the Data Set I. The data show that similar behavior as hydrophobic particles is observed, which emphasizes the dominant role of the hydrophobic particles as compared to hydrophilic ones. The experimental data for all cases show that increasing particle concentration results in more stable emulsions.The emulsion (base case) break-up using demulsifiers data (Data Set II) are acquired with 25% water-cut and 0.01% w/w hydrophobic NP utilizing 3 commercial demulsifiers, namely, ALKEN 860, ALKEN 862 and DB 964 with concentrations of 100, 500, 1000, 2000 and 4000 ppm. It is evident that the different chemical compositions of the demulsifiers produce different separation behavior. In general, an increase of the demulsifier concentration leads to an improvement of the emulsion separation. The recommended demulsifier for break-up of the base case emulsion is ALKEN 862 with a concentration of 500 ppm, which results in a fast and almost complete separation.

Performance Evaluation of Fly Ash as a Potential Demulsifier for Water-in-Crude-Oil Emulsion Stabilized by Asphaltenes

Summary The quest for smart and cost–effective demulsification materials to separate water–in–crude–oil (W/O) emulsions is ongoing in the petroleum industry. We conducted an assessment study on the potency of coal fly ash (CFA) as a demulsifier for W/O emulsions. To our knowledge, this is the first study reporting CFA as a demulsifier for highly stable W/O emulsions. Samples of W/O emulsions were prepared without using any conventional emulsifier. Asphaltenes in the crude oil acted as an emulsifier, and stable emulsions were produced. Six W/O–emulsion samples of the same crude–oil/water volume ratio (4:6) were formulated. A reference sample was selected for comparison during demulsification. Demulsification tests were performed at room temperature (25°C). Demulsification results obtained using bottle tests showed that the reference sample (blank) without CFA remained stable without water separation after 48 hours, while the addition of various CFA quantities (1 to 7%) brought about the separation of water from the oil phase. Separation of water was observed to have increased with increasing CFA addition in the emulsion. Water separation continued for each sample until approximately 24 hours, when equilibrium was attained and water separation remained constant. The W/O emulsion containing 7% CFA displayed the highest performance with demulsification efficiency (DE) of 96.67%. Demulsification–comparison test results between CFA and a commercial demulsifier (poloxamer 407) using the same concentration and under room temperature showed that CFA was capable of separating water better than this commercial demulsifier. This observation indicates that CFA can compete favorably with many commercial demulsifiers available in the market. In addition, the outcome of DE of 7% CFA at elevated temperatures (i.e., 60 and 80°C) was approximately 98%. More importantly, the separated water at these elevated temperatures was clearer and contained fewer oil floccules than the separated water phase observed during demulsification tests conducted under room–temperature (25°C) conditions. Shear–rheology measurement reveals that adding CFA altered the viscoelastic characteristics at the crude–oil/water interface at an aging time of 10 hours and 55 minutes. The viscous modulus remained stagnant, whereas the elastic modulus dropped significantly. Interfacial–tension (IFT) results show that CFA particles often tend to diminish the interfacial films existing between crude oil and water. Optical morphology revealed the phase transformation in the as–prepared W/O emulsion before and after the addition of CFA particles. We propose a possible mechanism governing the demulsification of W/O emulsion driven by CFA particles. We believe that this work will be relevant to petroleum–exploration/refining operations.

Identifikasi Potensi Jeruk Purut Sebagai Demulsifier Untuk Memisahkan Air Dari Emulsi Minyak di Lapangan Minyak Riau

Emulsion stability is an indicator that needs to be controlled to prevent the degradation of petroleum quality. Emulsion breakdown is one of the mechanisms to separate the water phase from oil. It is transformed into a chemical compound that is expected to function as emulsion blocking or commonly known as a demulsifier. An organic demulsifier is one of the right ideas in preventing environmental pollution without diminishing its main function as an emulsion breaker. The bottle test method is one of the most commonly used methods in demulsification tests. Testing using this method is done by inserting the prepared emulsion into the bottle, then it will be placed into a waterbath under certain temperature conditions for several hours. This test will be done by looking at the demulsification that occurs every 30 minutes. From the testing of temperature, concentration, and effectiveness of the formulated formula, an optimal condition is obtained based on the highest demulsification efficiency. Based on the research, optimal condition of organic demulsifier formula is (3ml, 80˚C) with 7 ml demulsification efficiency. The results obtained from organic material formulations have not been able to increase the effectiveness of emulsion-breaking processes compared to commercial demulsifiers and basecase conditions (20 ml).

Preliminary Investigation of Comparative Toxic Effects of Locally Formulated and Commercial Demulsifiers on C-Callichytes Fingerlings

Preliminary Investigation of Comparative Toxic Effects of Locally Formulated and Commercial Demulsifiers on C-Callichytes Fingerlings

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 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.

By-line NMR emulsion droplet sizing

By-line Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) measurements of emulsion droplet size distributions are presented based on pulsed field gradient (PFG) measurements. These are performed on temporarily immobilised samples extracted from a main process stream with corrections applied for any temporal variations in sample composition. The overall methodology is initially applied to pure fluids and then a range of water-in-oil emulsions. It is then demonstrated on an emulsification flow loop in which three commercial demulsifiers are separately applied; significant variation in their performance with respect to increasing emulsion droplet size (and thus emulsion destabilisation) is observed. Finally, a more rapid PFG method, Difftrain, is successfully demonstrated with the measured mean emulsion droplet size being used as the input into standard PID control of applied shear and hence the extent of emulsification.

Breaking of Water-in-Crude Oil Emulsions. 7. Demulsifier Performance at Optimum Formulation for Various Extended Surfactant Structures

The performance of several extended surfactants as water-in-crude oil emulsion breakers was evaluated using two criteria: (1) the demulsifier dose required (CD*) to attain the minimum stability at the so-called optimum formulation, and (2) the corresponding low minimum stability value. These surfactants were found to behave in the same way as typical commercial demulsifiers do; i.e., they require a lower dose CD* when their hydrophilicity is slightly greater. The reported data for a dozen different extended surfactants indicate how the two performance indices are altered by changing the structure characteristics, such as the propylene oxide number, the ethylene oxide number, and the ionic polar group (carboxylate, sulfate, phosphate). The best performance as a demulsifier seems to depend on the proper combination of these structures to attain a well-fitting compromise.

Characterisation and selection of demulsifiers for water-in-crude oil emulsions using low-field 1H NMR and ESI–FT-ICR MS

Water-in-oil emulsions constitute a widespread issue for the oilfield industry. Indeed, the phases of water-in-oil emulsions must be separated as soon as possible in the production chain. These emulsions can be fairly stable due to certain intrinsic components in crude oil; therefore, adding chemicals – demulsifiers – to aid this separation is very common. Selecting the ideal demulsifier can save time and money, and in this context two-dimensional (2D) low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) is a promising technique because it allows for the separate study of the oil and water phases without the need for physical separation. In this study, four laboratory-made emulsions were used to investigate the demulsification process via low-field 1H NMR, allowing for the investigation of the correlation between the diffusion coefficient (D) and transverse relaxation time (T2) in 2D D–T2 plots. The three commercial demulsifiers used in this process (A, B and C) were characterised by positive-ion electrospray ionisation (ESI(+)) Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR MS). The ESI(+)–FT-ICR mass spectra recorded for the commercial demulsifiers showed distinct chemical profiles, with two samples (A and B) being composed of surfactants containing isoprene and glycol propylene oligomer species, where the ions detected in the m/z 200–700 region were separated by m/z 42 and 58 units, respectively. A more abundant and complex chemical profile was observed for sample C, in which pyridine and sulphoxide analogue species were identified. The 2D D–T2 plots clearly showed that the separation of water and oil phases can be monitored and allowed for the classification of the demulsifiers according to their performance in the physical separation of the phases: demulsifier A>demulsifier B>demulsifier C.

Breaking of Water-in-Crude Oil Emulsions. 5. Effect of Acid-Alkaline Additives on the Performance of Chemical Demulsifiers

The objective is to understand the effects of organic acid and amine additives on the performance of commercial demulsifiers in breaking water-in-crude-oil (W/O) emulsions, according to the proportional regime test developed in previous articles. Both hydrophilic (ethylamine and acetic acid) and hydrophobic (hexanoic acid and hexylamine) species were tested, and all were found to exhibit different effects. The water-soluble species have essentially no effect, despite a change in aqueous phase pH. Hexanoic acid was found to increase the stability of the W/O emulsions, whereas the hexylamine was found to reduce it. Explanations of the effect of these additives on the interfacial formulation are proposed.

Evaluation of the Efficiency of Additives on the Destabilization of Petroleum Emulsions

The demulsification process is extremely important in the petroleum industry because the natural formation of water‐ in‐oil (w/o) emulsions hinders the performance and increases the cost of the production and processing of crude oil. Commercially produced polymers have been widely used as additives to destabilize these emulsions, among them block copolymers of poly(ethylene oxide) and poly(propylene oxide), or PEO‐PPO block copolymers. This article reports the performance of a series of commercial demulsifiers based on silicone polyethers, containing PEO or PEO‐PPO block copolymers in their chains. The stability of the w/o emulsions, with and without the additives, was evaluated by determining the water/oil interfacial tension, the compressibility of the films formed at these interfaces and the gravitational separation of oil and water by the bottle test. The results show that the addition of these additives reduced the interfacial tension of the systems, indicating the adsorption of their molecules at this interface. All the additives promoted the breakdown of the w/o emulsions, but those with higher molar masses and chains of PEO‐PPO block copolymers were the most efficient.