Displaces natural emulsifying agents (such as asphaltenes, resins, and paraffin waxes) at the oil-water interface. Lowers interfacial tension, causing tiny dispersed water droplets to merge quickly into larger drops for accelerated gravitational settling.
Delivers clean phase separation without leaving a thick rag layer or intermediate emulsion zone in settling tanks, electrostatic treaters, or API separators, ensuring maximum operational throughput.
Effectively lowers Basic Sediment and Water (BS&W) levels in exported crude oil to meet strict pipeline and refinery quality specifications, preventing financial penalties and transport corrosion hazards.
Minimizes oil carryover into the separated water phase, yielding low Oil-in-Water (OiW) concentration. This reduces chemical consumption in downstream wastewater treatment units and ensures compliance with environmental discharge regulations.
Formulated with high-potency polyalkylene glycols, resin alkoxylates, and polymeric surfactants that achieve fast separation at low ppm concentrations, reducing the heating temperature required in wash tanks and desalters.
| Emulsion Type / Application Area | Impact on System | Control & Separation Mechanism |
|---|---|---|
| Water-in-Oil Emulsions (W/O) | Increases fluid viscosity, overburdens pumping equipment, and causes severe corrosion in transport pipelines due to dissolved salts (NaCl, CaCl2). | Lipophilic demulsifiers neutralize interfacial charges and rupture the surrounding film to precipitate water droplets. |
| Oil-in-Water Emulsions (O/W) | Creates turbid wastewater with high Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) and oil content, exceeding legal discharge limits. | Hydrophilic reverse demulsifiers (de-oilers) neutralize negative droplet charges, promoting oil droplet flocculation. |
| Refinery Desalting Systems | Salt carryover causes severe high-temperature corrosion (HCl formation) and catalyst poisoning in downstream distillation units. | Fast-acting demulsifiers promote rapid coalescence of wash water droplets, maximizing salt extraction efficiency. |
| Sludge & Slop Oil Recovery | Accumulates unusable hazardous waste in storage tanks, binding valuable hydrocarbons in rag layers. | Synergistic surfactant blends break stubborn aged emulsions to recover usable oil and clarify water for disposal. |
Whether you need industrial raw materials, water treatment chemicals, or specialty products, our team is ready to help you find the most suitable solution for your business. Contact TFI Chemical today for product recommendations, technical consultation, and reliable nationwide supply.