Fabricating a heavy oil viscosity reducer with weak interaction effect: Synthesis and viscosity reduction mechanism

• Published in: Colloid and interface science communications Vol. 42; p. 100426
• Main Authors: Zhang, Fenfen, Liu, Yigang, Wang, Qiuxia, Han, Yugui, Yan, Zhenhu, Chen, Hao, Tan, Yebang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.05.2021
• Subjects: Cyclic performance; Heavy oil; Viscosity reduction; Water soluble copolymer; Weak interaction; Viscosity reduction; Cyclic performance; Weak interaction; Water soluble copolymer; Heavy oil
• ISSN: 2215-0382; 2215-0382
• DOI: 10.1016/j.colcom.2021.100426

We synthesized a copolymer with strong hydrophilicity and low surface and interfacial activity, which reduced the viscosity of heavy oil by interacting with asphaltenes or resins via hydrogen bonding. Water-soluble terpolymers (PAMD) were synthesized by the copolymerization of acryloyl morpholine, maleic anhydride with N, N-dimethylacrylamide in pure water. The copolymer showed low surface and interfacial activity, as well as the ability to weakly interact with heavy oil to form oil-in-water emulsions under stirring, but reducing the viscosity of the heavy oil by more than 90%. Under the condition of weak interaction between polymer and heavy oil, the oil-in-water emulsions dehydrated within 1 h to form oil and aqueous phases, which could be reused for the viscosity reduction at least five times. Therefore, this novel heavy oil viscosity reducer to provide a convenient and effective technique for oil extraction and reduce the burden of economic costs. [Display omitted] •Water-soluble copolymers were prepared as heavy oil viscosity reducer.•Separation of heavy oil and water could occur completely in the disperse system.•The copolymer solutions after oil-water separation were recyclable following interactions with heavy oil.•The mechanism of viscosity reduction is explained in detail.