Enhancing heavy oil liberation from solid surfaces using biodegradable demulsifiers

• Biodegradable ethyl cellulose (EC) enhanced bitumen liberation from solid surfaces.
• EC reduced contact angle of bitumen droplet on solid surface in water (water wet).
• EO/PO co-polymers enhanced liberate bitumen much faster than EC.

Ethyl cellulose (EC) and EO/PO polymers are known as efficient demulsifiers for breaking oil–water emulsions, which are applied in this study as process aids to enhancing unconventional oil liberation from host rock surfaces. Their applicability in such a role was assessed by studying dynamic contact angle and liberation of bitumen from model solid surfaces. The addition of demulsifiers (EC and/or EO/PO blocked co-polymer, up to 300 ppm) into the solvent-diluted bitumen was found to significantly improve both bitumen liberation rate and ultimate degree of bitumen liberation (DBL) from glass surfaces. This finding suggests the potential combination of oil liberation and demulsification to develop more efficient process for recovering unconventional oils.

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