The formulation of an effective demulsifier for oil spill emulsions

The formation of stable sea water-in-crude oil emulsions after an oil spill was first reported after the Torrey Canyon wreck in 1967. The problem of handling this stable water (65%)-in-oil (35%) emulsion rather than oil is evidenced in the additional expensive on-site storage requirement as well as the handling difficulty with the viscous semi-solid emulsion. This paper details the results of an R&D program that has established the mechanism for the formation of this emulsion. This insight enabled a specific effective chemical demulsifier to be formulated. A treatment technique was devised that entails injecting the demulsifier into the oil spill emulsion as it is skimmed from the water surface. The emulsion is then rapidly separated into water-free oil and a clean-water phase that can be decanted back into the sea. Full-scale tests were successfully conducted by JBF Scientific Corp. using two types of commercial JBF DIP skimmers in a small concrete lined pond.