Investigations Concerning Oil-water Emulsion

Abstract

Sampling of the fluid from oil wells for percentages of oil, emulsified oil, and water during the last two years has brought out some interesting factsconcerning oil-water emulsion. This result led to a laboratory investigation ofemulsion, which substantiated the conclusions made from the field observations.The purpose of this paper is to present the information collected, thelaboratory experiments, and our interpretation of the same. In order to defineemulsified oil exactly, give its synthesis and origin, and to show how and whenit is formed in the wells, the work was necessarily divided into two separatelines - laboratory work and field observations. It is hoped that this study maylead to a discussion of such points so that the petroleum engineer, geologist, or technologist may be benefited by its practical bearing on oil-fieldmanagement. Special credit is due Mr. Everett Carpenter, chief geologist of theEmpire Gas &Fuel Co., for his assistance and cooperation in thiswork.