Demulsifier
Encyclopedia
Demulsifiers, or emulsion breakers, are a class of specialty chemicals used to separate emulsions (e.g. water in oil). They are commonly used in the processing of crude oil, which is typically produced along with significant quantities of saline water. This water (and salt) must be removed from the crude oil prior to refining
. If the majority of the water and salt are not removed, significant corrosion
problems can occur in the refining process.
Demulsifiers are typically based on the following chemistry:
The above are usually ethoxylated (and/or propoxylated) to provide the desired degree of water/oil solubility.
The addition of Ethylene oxide
increases water solubility, Propylene oxide
decreases it.
Commercially available demulsifier formulations are typically a mixture of two to four different chemistries, in carrier solvent(s) such as xylene
, Heavy Aromatic Naptha (HAN), Isopropanol
, methanol
, 2-ethylhexanol
or Diesel.
Refining
Refining is the process of purification of a substance or a form. The term is usually used of a natural resource that is almost in a usable form, but which is more useful in its pure form. For instance, most types of natural petroleum will burn straight from the ground, but it will burn poorly...
. If the majority of the water and salt are not removed, significant corrosion
Corrosion
Corrosion is the disintegration of an engineered material into its constituent atoms due to chemical reactions with its surroundings. In the most common use of the word, this means electrochemical oxidation of metals in reaction with an oxidant such as oxygen...
problems can occur in the refining process.
Demulsifiers are typically based on the following chemistry:
- Acid catalysed phenolPhenolPhenol, also known as carbolic acid, phenic acid, is an organic compound with the chemical formula C6H5OH. It is a white crystalline solid. The molecule consists of a phenyl , bonded to a hydroxyl group. It is produced on a large scale as a precursor to many materials and useful compounds...
-formaldehydeFormaldehydeFormaldehyde is an organic compound with the formula CH2O. It is the simplest aldehyde, hence its systematic name methanal.Formaldehyde is a colorless gas with a characteristic pungent odor. It is an important precursor to many other chemical compounds, especially for polymers...
resins - Base catalysed phenol-formaldehyde resins
- PolyaminePolyamineA polyamine is an organic compound having two or more primary amino groups .This class of compounds includes several synthetic substances that are important feedstocks for the chemical industry, such as ethylene diamine , 1,3-diaminopropane , and hexamethylenediamine...
s - Di-epoxideEpoxideAn epoxide is a cyclic ether with three ring atoms. This ring approximately defines an equilateral triangle, which makes it highly strained. The strained ring makes epoxides more reactive than other ethers. Simple epoxides are named from the parent compound ethylene oxide or oxirane, such as in...
s - PolyolPolyolA polyol is an alcohol containing multiple hydroxyl groups. In two technological disciplines the term "polyol" has a special meaning: food science and polymer chemistry.- Polyols in food science :...
s
The above are usually ethoxylated (and/or propoxylated) to provide the desired degree of water/oil solubility.
The addition of Ethylene oxide
Ethylene oxide
Ethylene oxide, also called oxirane, is the organic compound with the formula . It is a cyclic ether. This means that it is composed of two alkyl groups attached to an oxygen atom in a cyclic shape . This colorless flammable gas with a faintly sweet odor is the simplest epoxide, a three-membered...
increases water solubility, Propylene oxide
Propylene oxide
Propylene oxide is an organic compound with the molecular formula CH3CHCH2O. This colourless volatile liquid is produced on a large scale industrially, its major application being its use for the production of polyether polyols for use in making polyurethane plastics...
decreases it.
Commercially available demulsifier formulations are typically a mixture of two to four different chemistries, in carrier solvent(s) such as xylene
Xylene
Xylene encompasses three isomers of dimethylbenzene. The isomers are distinguished by the designations ortho- , meta- , and para- , which specify to which carbon atoms the two methyl groups are attached...
, Heavy Aromatic Naptha (HAN), Isopropanol
Isopropyl alcohol
Isopropyl alcohol is a common name for a chemical compound with the molecular formula C3H8O. It is a colorless, flammable chemical compound with a strong odor...
, methanol
Methanol
Methanol, also known as methyl alcohol, wood alcohol, wood naphtha or wood spirits, is a chemical with the formula CH3OH . It is the simplest alcohol, and is a light, volatile, colorless, flammable liquid with a distinctive odor very similar to, but slightly sweeter than, ethanol...
, 2-ethylhexanol
2-Ethylhexanol
2-Ethylhexanol is a fatty alcohol, an organic compound is a branched, eight-carbon chiral alcohol. It is a colorless liquid that is nearly insoluble in water but soluble in most organic solvents...
or Diesel.
Suppliers of demulsifiers
- Baker PetroliteBaker HughesBaker Hughes Baker Hughes provides the world's oil & gas industry with products and services for drilling, formation evaluation, completion, production and reservoir consulting. Baker Hughes operates in over 90 countries worldwide mainly based in countries with a mature petroleum industry as is...
http://www.bakerhughes.com/products-and-services/production/upstream-chemicals/production-optimization/tretolite-fluids-separation-technologies - BASFBASFBASF SE is the largest chemical company in the world and is headquartered in Germany. BASF originally stood for Badische Anilin- und Soda-Fabrik . Today, the four letters are a registered trademark and the company is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, London Stock Exchange, and Zurich Stock...
http://www.basf.com/group/corporate/en/industry/UTILITIES - BrenntagBrenntagBrenntag AG is a German chemical distribution company which was founded in 1874 in Berlin, and which currently operates in over 60 countries worldwide....
- BuckmanBuckman-People:*Anjo Buckman, German rugby union international*John Buckman, American record label founder*Rob Buckman, Canadian doctor of medicine, comedian, author, and president of the Humanist Association of Canada-Places:United States...
http://www.buckman.com - CECACECACECA may refer to:*Svetlana Ceca Ražnatović, popular singer in Serbia*Confederación Española de Cajas de Ahorros, the Spanish Confederation of Savings Banks...
http://www.cecachemicals.com/sites/ceca/en/business/oilfield_chemicals/emulsifier_emulsion_breakers/parrafin_control.page - Champion Technologies http://www.champ-tech.com/infi_prod_emul.asp
- ClariantClariantClariant is a Swiss speciality chemical company which was formed in 1995 as a spin off from Sandoz.- Business :The company has a turnover of around US$8 billion and is headquartered in Muttenz, near Basel, Switzerland....
http://www.oil.clariant.com/bu/oms/internet.nsf/04fa7deb65dc84f9c1256a6200552c10/5174030eadb3fcdac12576860044a875?OpenDocument - CrodaCroda InternationalCroda International plc is a chemicals company based at Snaith in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.-History:...
http://www.croda.com/home.aspx?s=155&r=379&p=2427 - Dorf Ketal
- Dow Oil and Gas http://oilandgas.dow.com/applications/production/phase_separation.htm
- Eonchemicals Putra
- M-I SWACO (Production Technologies) - part of SchlumbergerSchlumbergerSchlumberger Limited is the world's largest oilfield services company. Schlumberger employs over 110,000 people of more than 140 nationalities working in approximately 80 countries...
- Multi-Chem http://www.multichem.com
- NalcoNalco Holding CompanyNalco Holding Company supplies water treatment and process improvement services, chemicals and equipment programs for industrial and institutional markets. These products and services are marketed in some cases to prevent corrosion, contamination and the buildup of harmful deposits...
http://www.nalco.com/applications/emulsion-breakers.htm - Schärer & Schläpfer AG
- UnivarUnivarUnivar is a leading global distributor of industrial and specialty chemicals, with an extensive network of over 170 distribution facilities in North America, Europe, the Asia-Pacific region and Latin America, as well as additional sales offices in Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa.The...