Improved Demulsifier Chemistry: A Novel Approach in the Dehydration of Crude Oil

Abstract

With the ever-growing demand for more efficient dehydration and desalting of crude oil, classic demulsifiers no longer perform satisfactorily in most cases, and new chemical systems are required. This paper describes emulsion breakers, generally polyester amines, and gives detailed laboratory studies of their advantages over classic demulsifiers: more complete migration to the interface, improved emulsion breaking and coalescence, improved effluent water quality, and partial corrosion inhibition. These new demulsifiers combined with classic emulsion breakers have been successfully tested.