Studies of Water-In-Oil Emulsions: The Role of Asphaltenes and Resins

摘要

This paper summarizes studies to determine the role of asphaltenes and resins in water-in-oil emulsions. Literature shows that asphaltenes are largely responsible for emulsion fonnation and stability. Recent studies also indicate that resins play an ancillary role in this factor. Furthermore, it has been shown that stability of emulsions can increase with time. This increased stability is attributed to the continued migration of asphaltenes and resins to the oil-water interface. This migration is examined experimentally in this paper. The stability of emulsions has been studied by examining the asphaltene content and secondarily, the resin content.