Probing the Demulsification Mechanism of Emulsion with SPAN Series Based on the Effect of Solid Phase Particles

Abstract

The solid particles in the produced fluids from the oil wells treated by compound flooding can greatly stabilize the strength of the interfacial film and enhance the stability of the emulsion, increasing the difficulty of processing these produced fluids on the ground. In this paper, the oil phase and the water phase were separated from the SPAN series emulsions by electrical dehydration technology and adding demulsifier agents. The changing trends of the current at both ends of the electrodes were recorded during the process. The efficient demulsification of the emulsion containing solid particles was studied from the perspective of oil-water separation mechanisms. Combined with the method of molecular dynamics simulation, the effect of the addition of a demulsifier on the free movement characteristics of crude oil molecules at the position of the liquid film of the emulsion were further analyzed. The results indicated that the presence of solid particles greatly increased the emulsifying ability of the emulsion and reduced its size. Under the synergistic effect of demulsifier and electric dehydration, the demulsification effect of the emulsion increased significantly, and the demulsification rate could reach more than 82%. The addition of demulsifiers changed the stable surface state of the solid particles. The free movement ability of the surrounding crude oil molecules was enhanced, which led to a decrease in the strength of the emulsion film so that the water droplets in the emulsions were more likely to coalesce and break. These results are of great significance for the efficient treatment of wastewater from oilfields, promoting the sustainability of environment-friendly oilfield development.