WATER-IN-CRUDE OIL-EMULSIONS FROM THE NORWEGIAN CONTINENTAL-SHELF .8.SURFACTANT AND MACROMOLECULAR DESTABILIZATION

Water-in-crude oil emulsions based on different crude oils from the No rwegian Continental Shelf have been prepared, characterized and destab ilized. The destabilization was undertaken with ionic and non-ionic su rfactants (Aerosol OT and Triton N-42), fluorinated surfactants and di fferent polymers like polyethylene glycols and polyacrylates of varyin g molecular masses. The surfactants investigated seem to destabilize a ccording to an interfacial replacement of the indigenous membrane. Thi s is also revealed by interfacial tension measurements. The flocculati on ability of the polymers was characterized by means of UV absorbance measurements on Al2O3 suspensions in decane. There is not a single co rrelation between flocculation efficiency and destabilization of the e mulsion systems. Model water-in-oil emulsions stabilized by either int erfacially active crude oil fractions or by tetraoxyethylene nonylphen ol ether were investigated in parallel.