(147b) Characterization of Asphaltenes and Resins Separated from Water-in-Crude Oil Emulsions Formed in Kuwaiti Oil Fields

Knowledge of the properties and behavior of asphaltenes and resins is indispensable for the design of preventive and curative measure for emulsion problems created by the presence of asphaltene, resins and other organic and inorganic solids. In order to understand the phenomena of water-oil emulsions formed in Kuwaiti oil fields and determine the factors involved in the stabilization of these emulsions, the role of asphaltenes, resins and wax separated from various samples of oil field emulsions formed in Burgan oil field have been evaluated.

Physicochemical properties of asphaltenes, resins, wax, and de-asphalted de-resin (DADR) oil samples have been studied via FT-IR, 1H and 13C NMR, elemental analysis, and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). These emulsion samples contain different amount of water ranges from 24 to 35%, asphaltenes content ranges from 0.9 to 1.7%, resins content from3.7 to 4.6%. IR-FT spectra were performed to identify the various functional groups which have effect on the stability of water-oil emulsions. The freezing behavior of an emulsion was characterized by differential scanning calorimetry to determine whether the water in the emulsion is free water or emulsified water.