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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 29 October 2009
This chapter provides an introduction to the occurrence, properties and importance of surfactants as they relate to the petroleum industry. With an emphasis on the definition of important terms, the importance of surfactants, their micellization and adsorption behaviours, and their interfacial properties are demonstrated. It is shown how surfactants may be applied to alter interfacial properties, promote oil displacement, and stabilize or destabilize dispersions such as foams, emulsions, and suspensions. Understanding and controlling the properties of surfactant-containing solutions and dispersions has considerable practical importance since fluids that must be made to behave in a certain fashion to assist one stage of an oil production process, may require considerable modification in order to assist in another stage.
Introduction
Surfactants are widely used and find a very large number of applications because of their remarkable ability to influence the properties of surfaces and interfaces, as will be discussed below. Some important applications of surfactants in the petroleum industry are shown in Table 1. Surfactants may be applied or encountered at all stages in the petroleum recovery and processing industry, from oilwell drilling, reservoir injection, oilwell production, and surface plant processes, to pipeline and seagoing transportation of petroleum emulsions. This chapter is intended to provide an introduction to the basic principles involved in the occurrence and uses of surfactants in the petroleum industry.
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