Dynamic Surface Properties of Asphaltenes and Resins at the Oil-Air Interface

Because of the existence of large reserves, the production of heavy oils is presently the object of much interest. Some heavy oil reservoirs show anomalous behavior in primary production, with rates of production better than predicted. In Canada and Venezuela some heavy oils are produced in the form of "bubbly" oil, which is stable for several hours in open vessels. These crude oils are therefore commonly called "foamy oils". Since the presence of bubbles could be responsible for an enhanced rate of production, a better knowledge of the properties of the gas-oil interface is desirable. We have experimentally studied the effect of concentration of asphaltenes and resins on static and dynamic properties of oil-air interfaces and also on bulk viscosity. The experiments include surface tension measurements using the pendant-drop method, surface viscosity by the oscillating-drop method, foamability by continuous gas injection, and film lifetime. All the experiments were performed using resins and asphaltenes in toluene solutions at 20 degrees C. At first asphaltenes enhance foamability and film lifetime. All the experiments performed showed a change in regime for asphaltene concentrations around 10% by weight, possibly due to clustering. At the studied concentrations, the adsorption process at the air-oil interface is not diffusion controlled but rather involves a reorganization of asphaltene molecules in a network structure. The formation of a solid skin is well identified by the increase of the elastic modulus. This elastic modulus is also an important property for foam stability, since a rigid interface limits bubble rupture. The interface rigidity at long times decreases with increases in resin fraction, which could decrease foam stability as well as emulsion stability. Copyright 2001 Academic Press.