Effect of the Asphaltene Oxidation Process on the Formation of Emulsions of Water in Oil (W/O) Model Solutions

Sebastián Llanos, Sócrates Acevedo, Farid B. Cortés and Camilo A. Franco
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Sebastián Llanos: Grupo de Investigación Fenómenos de Superficie-Michael Polanyi, Facultad de Minas, Universidad Nacional de Colombia Sede Medellín, Kra 80 No. 65-223, 050034 Medellín, Colombia
Sócrates Acevedo: Facultad de Ciencias, Centro de Química Orgánica, Universidad Central de Venezuela, P.O. Box 47102, Caracas 7020-A, Venezuela
Farid B. Cortés: Grupo de Investigación Fenómenos de Superficie-Michael Polanyi, Facultad de Minas, Universidad Nacional de Colombia Sede Medellín, Kra 80 No. 65-223, 050034 Medellín, Colombia
Camilo A. Franco: Grupo de Investigación Fenómenos de Superficie-Michael Polanyi, Facultad de Minas, Universidad Nacional de Colombia Sede Medellín, Kra 80 No. 65-223, 050034 Medellín, Colombia

Energies, 2018, vol. 11, issue 4, 1-21

Abstract: In this paper, the formation of water in oil (W/O) model solution emulsions using untreated and oxidized asphaltenes as emulsifiers was evaluated. Emulsions were formed with deionized water and toluene at different water/toluene ratios (1:4, 1:1, and 4:1) and concentrations of asphaltenes of 100, 500, and 1000 mg/L. Asphaltenes were oxidized at two different temperatures of 373 and 473 K for various exposure times. Untreated and oxidized asphaltenes were characterized by thermogravimetric analyses, C, H, N, S and O elemental analyses, solvency tests in toluene, and qualitative structural indexes from Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. The emulsions were evaluated for stability, the percentage of oil in water (O/W) and W/O phases, interfacial tension (IFT), and mean droplet diameter. The asphaltenes solubility decreased up to 93% as the temperature of oxidation and the exposure time increased. The amount of W/O emulsion increases when asphaltene concentration, exposure time, and oxidation temperature increase. With oxidized asphaltenes at 373 and 473 K, the formation of W/O emulsions increased by approximately 30% and 70% for a fixed asphaltene concentration, respectively. IFT revealed that after oxidation, no carboxylic acids were formed. A hypothetical oxidation reaction of asphaltenes to ketones and sulphoxide, and nitrogen and alkyl chain removal is proposed.

Keywords: asphaltenes; heavy oil; oxidation; thermal EOR; W/O emulsions (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jeners:v:11:y:2018:i:4:p:722-:d:137625

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