Emulsion breaking of surfactant stabilized crude oil in water emulsions

摘要

A process useful for breaking oil in water emulsions produced as the result of a surfactant flood oil recovery project is disclosed. The produced oil in water emulsion, stabilized with surfactants, content is treated with brine and a polyol or quaternary ammonium compound, or both, followed by mixing and settling to form a sprung oil phase and a brine phase.