Breaking Water‐in‐Bitumen Emulsions using Polyoxyalkylated DETA Demulsifier

Adding demulsifier is currently the most widely used method for breaking water-in-oil emulsions. Experimental demulsifiers based on DETA with various PO and EO contents were synthesized and their RSN values were determined. The dehydration efficiency of these demulsifiers was measured in diluted bitumen using both gravitational settling and centrifugation tests. The results indicate that some of the DETA products could perform potentially at least as well or better than the demulsifier currently used in a commercial plant. RSN values are correlated very well with EO and PO numbers. Optimal dehydration efficiency is in the RSN range of 18 to 22, which corresponds to a PO-to-EO ratio in the range of 1 to 1.8.