Synthesis and evaluation of some new demulsifiers based on bisphenols for treating water-in-crude oil emulsions

The present paper endeavors to synthesize nine types of demulsifiers based on bisphenols (bisphenol A (BA), bisphenol AC (BAC) and bisphenol CH (BCH)) having different ethylene oxide units (n = 27, 34, 45) namely; E (x + y) (where E represents BA, BCH or BAC and (x + y) which represents the ethylene oxide units (27, 34, 45)). The chemical structures of the prepared demulsifier were elucidated using FT-IR and 1H NMR spectra. Effect of the chemical structure (hydrophobic and ethoxylated degree of hydrophilic parts) and the mechanism of demulsification process was investigated. The data were discussed on the light of the chemical structure of the demulsifiers and the factors, effecting the demulsification process. The efficiency of these demulsifiers was tested on water-in-oil emulsions (w/o) at different concentrations (100, 200 and 300 ppm), 7.4% asphaltene content and 30%, 50% and 70% water content. From the obtained data the best demulsifier was E(34)BA which shows 100% demulsification after 58 min at 30% water content and 300 ppm of the demulsifier.