Viscosity reduction of acidic heavy oil through emulsification: effects of salinity and pH

In this research, sodium dodecyl sulfonate (SDS) was selected as emulsifying viscosity reducer through a great number of laboratory experiments and then the effects of salinity and pH on viscosity reduction effects were evaluated. The result showed that higher salinity would result in emulsion viscosity enhancement. Compared with neutral pH conditions (pH =7), both acidic and basic conditions would promote emulsion viscosity reduction. When pH >7, generated O/W emulsions were much more stable than all other emulsions. Detailed compositional characterization of petroleum acid through a high resolution mass spectrometer (FT-ICR MS) proved that carboxylic acid and phenols inside petroleum acid would react with OH- at basic conditions and produce some natural surfactants. Theses natural surfactants could work synergistically with SDS and further improve emulsion stability.