Abstract

The general problem of enhancing the oil recovery is directly connected with the problem of decreasing the viscosity of the crude oil. The complex colloid-like structures are responsible for the viscosity of oil. Asphaltenes are the main surfactant components of a heavy oil fraction, capable of forming the colloid structures. The content of asphaltenes in different crude oils varies in a wide range and accounts for 25-30 % of weight. The study of asphaltene aggregation kinetics is a reliable way for investigation of colloid properties of crude oil [1]. We studied this process in toluene/heptane mixtures using the photon correlation spectroscopy (PCS).

© 1996 Optical Society of America