Bio-based mixed CO2-switchable surfactant for reducing viscosity of heavy oil

Abstract

CO2-switchable surfactants have significant viscosity-reducing abilities, but their applicability is limited by the complexity of their manufacture. In this work, a simple mix of CO2-switchable bio-based surfactants N-lauroylsarcosine (LS) and glucosamine (GA) was used to reduce viscosity of heavy crude oil. Surface tensiometer was used to investigate the surface activity of LS/GA, revealing the potential for viscosity reduction. By alternating sparging of CO2 and N2, the switchability of LS/GA was examined and proved. It reveals that LS/GA significantly reduces the viscosity of heavy oil by emulsification, but the formed emulsion can be quickly destabilized by introduction of CO2. The results of this study reveal that CO2-switchable bio-based surfactants with viscosity-reducing capabilities for heavy crude oil may be produced by simple mixing, paving the way for reversible emulsification of heavy crude oil utilizing CO2-switchable bio-based surfactant.