Surfactant requirements for the low-shear formation of water continuous emulsions from heavy crude oil

摘要

A process for the preparation of low-viscosity improved stable crude oil transport emulsions. The process comprises producing a hydrocarbon crude, and mixing the produced hydrocarbon crude with an emulsifying composition(s) which contains water and is capable of assisting the formation of an oil-in-water emulsion. The amount of the emulsifying composition(s) that is mixed with the produced hydrocarbon crude is sufficient to form an oil-in-water emulsion having water content of from about 10 percent to about 60 percent by weight water and a viscosity sufficiently low for allowing the transport of the formulated oil-in- water emulsion.