Effect of salts and their interaction with ingenious surfactants on the interfacial tension of crude oil/ionic solution

doi:10.1016/j.cjche.2019.04.008

Abstract

Abstract: Understanding the roles of asphaltene and resin as natural surfactants existed in crude oil can enlighten contradicting reported results regarding interfacial tension (IFT) of crude oil/aqueous solution as a function of salinity and ion type. In this way, this study is aimed to investigate the effect of these natural surface active agents on IFT of with special focus on SO₄^2- anion and Mg²⁺ cation. Two different synthetic oil solutions of 8 wt% of the extracted asphaltene and resin dissolved in toluene are prepared, and then IFT values are measured. After that, the obtained results are compared with the IFT of intact crude oil in contact with the same saline solutions examined in the previous stage. The obtained results showed a synergistic effect of Na₂SO₄+MgCl₂ solution unlike the MgSO₄+MgCl₂ and CaSO₄+MgCl₂ solutions on IFT reduction of resin at MgCl₂ concentration of 15000 mg·kg^-1. In summary, it is found that the affinity of asphaltene molecules towards the interface of oleic phase/ionic solution leads to higher IFT variation.

Key words: IFT, Resin, Asphaltene, Mg²⁺, SO₄^2-

摘要： Understanding the roles of asphaltene and resin as natural surfactants existed in crude oil can enlighten contradicting reported results regarding interfacial tension (IFT) of crude oil/aqueous solution as a function of salinity and ion type. In this way, this study is aimed to investigate the effect of these natural surface active agents on IFT of with special focus on SO₄^2- anion and Mg²⁺ cation. Two different synthetic oil solutions of 8 wt% of the extracted asphaltene and resin dissolved in toluene are prepared, and then IFT values are measured. After that, the obtained results are compared with the IFT of intact crude oil in contact with the same saline solutions examined in the previous stage. The obtained results showed a synergistic effect of Na₂SO₄+MgCl₂ solution unlike the MgSO₄+MgCl₂ and CaSO₄+MgCl₂ solutions on IFT reduction of resin at MgCl₂ concentration of 15000 mg·kg^-1. In summary, it is found that the affinity of asphaltene molecules towards the interface of oleic phase/ionic solution leads to higher IFT variation.

关键词: IFT, Resin, Asphaltene, Mg²⁺, SO₄^2-

Mostafa Lashkarbolooki, Roohollah Parvizi, Shahab Ayatollahi, Ebrahim Ghaseminejad Raeeni. Effect of salts and their interaction with ingenious surfactants on the interfacial tension of crude oil/ionic solution[J]. Chinese Journal of Chemical Engineering, 2020, 28(1): 224-235.

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