Dynamic Interfacial Tension Between Gudao Heavy Oil and Petroleum Sulfonate/HPAM Complex Systems

Abstract

The dynamic interfacial tension between Gudao heavy oil and petroleum sulfonate/hydrolyzed polyacrylamide complex system was studied. It is shown that with the addition of hydrolyzed polyacrylamide into the solution of petroleum sulfonate, not only is the viscosity of the complex system increased, but also the dynamic interfacial tension is further lowered. Thus a complex system with high viscosity and low interfacial tension can be constituted by 0.3 wt% petroleum sulfonate and 0.18 wt% hydrolyzed polyacrylamide with a viscosity-averaged molecular weight of 1 × 10⁷. In addition, the dynamic interfacial tension between complex system and crude oil can also be lowered by increasing the salt content in solution.