Surface-Functionalized Nano-Montmorillonite and Its Application as Crude Oil Flow Improver

• Published in: Minerals (Basel) 2024-07, Vol.14 (7), p.696
• Main Authors: Liu, Kechen, Slaný, Michal, Golian-Struhárová, Alena, Wang, Hailong, Zhang, Liyuan, Fu, Jiyou, Chen, Gang, Du, Yingna
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Ammonia; Ammonium; Ammonium compounds; Ammonium salts; Chloride; clay mineral; Contact angle; Cost analysis; Crude oil; Crystal structure; Crystals; Dilution; Fourier transforms; Hydrocarbons; Montmorillonite; Montmorillonites; Morphology; Na-montmorillonite; Nanoparticles; Oil; Particle size; Polymers; quaternary ammonium salt; Quaternary ammonium salts; Salts; Spectrum analysis; Structural analysis; Surfactants; Temperature; Viscosity; Waxes; Zeta potential
• ISSN: 2075-163X; 2075-163X
• DOI: 10.3390/min14070696

In view of the problem of poor flowability in the production and transportation of high-wax crude oil and high-viscosity crude oil, crude oil flow improvers are commonly used to reduce their viscosity and pour point. Although polymer-based crude oil flow improvers are highly effective in improving crude oil flowability, there are still problems such as high cost and the need for a large amount of solvent dilution when used. In this work, highly dispersed organic modified nano-montmorillonite was prepared by using Na-based montmorillonite and quaternary ammonium salts, and the influencing factors on the viscosity of the crude oil were investigated. The most effective modified nano-montmorillonite (B@MMT) can reduce the viscosity by 96.7% (21 °C) and depress the pour point by 15 °C. Furthermore, it has shown a high improvement in flowability in the other four different sources of crude oil, with viscosity reduction rates of 52.2, 93.4, 79.1 and 67.4%, respectively. B@MMT was characterized by FTIR, SEM, zeta potential and contact angle. Based on DSC and wax crystal structure analysis, the mechanism of the influence of B@MMT on crude oil viscosity and pour point was explored. Finally, the cost of B@MMT was estimated, and the result shows that, compared with the crude oil flow improver in use, B@MMT has considerable commercial competitive advantages.