Demulsifier Intermediates ; Crude oil demulsifier
Crude oil is almost always produced as a water-in-oil emulsion, that is, water droplets stabilized in a continuous crude oil phase. The water and dissolved salts in the emulsion must be separated out before the oil is acceptable for further transportation or treatment at a refinery. This process is called “demulsification” or “dehydration.”
Emulsions are formed owing to turbulence in the production tubing and pipeline, and especially when passing through chokes such as at the wellhead.
The most important method of resolving the emulsion is to add a demulsifier. The concentration of the added demulsifier is usually in the range of 5–500 ppm based on the water phase. Sufficient mixing/dispersing is required to get the demulsifier to the oil–water interface, and time must be allowed for the coalesced droplets to phase separate.
Fengfan has a wide range of demulsifier intermediates (neat chemicals or concentrates) which are designed to treat the wide variety of emulsion and desalting problems experienced in oil production.