International Conference on Petroleum, Hydrogen and Decarbonization (ICPHD’23)

3-5 November, 2023

Effects of Salts Presence on the Stability of Crude Oil Emulsion Stabilized by

Produced Biosurfactant from Bacillus Subtilis OQ957160 sb23
Saurav Bhattacharjee1, Borkha Mech2
1 Department of Petroleum Technology, Dibrugarh University, Dibrugarh, 786001, India
2 Department of Petroleum Technology, Dibrugarh University, Dibrugarh, 786001, India
Presenting Author’s Email Id: rs_sauravbhattacharjee@dibru.ac.in
Abstract
Objectives/Scope: The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of various salts presence on the
stability of crude oil emulsion by produced biosurfactant (Lipopeptide) from Bacillus Subtilis OQ957160
strain sb23 isolated from formation water sample of Upper Assam Oil fields. On the other part, we have
performed the same experiments with commercial surfactants (anionic/cationic) and compared the two
results and their effects on stabilization of emulsion.
Methods, Procedures, Process: In these experiments, crude oil sourced from Upper Assam's oil fields
and distilled water were utilized. The salts, sourced from Himedia Company, were chosen after analyzing
formation water samples to ensure their purity and accuracy. To establish ideal emulsion conditions,
measurements were made for water and crude oil volumes and weights, with biosurfactants and salts
added to the aqueous phase. The emulsion was generated by agitating the crude oil in the aqueous
solution at 500 rpm for 15 minutes, and electron microscopy was employed to capture emulsion droplets.
Subsequently, ImageJ software was used to analyze these images, enabling the examination of droplet
size and quantity, facilitating a comprehensive exploration of emulsion properties. Similar procedures
were also applied to commercial surfactants, and their outcomes were compared.
Results, Observations, Conclusions: According to the findings, lipopeptide biosurfactant provided the
greatest stability and emulsion formation. Then, various CaCl2, MgCl2, and NaCl salt concentrations
were applied at the correct ratios of surfactants and biosurfactants. By evaluating the distribution of
droplet diameter and the separation flow rate, the creation and stability of the emulsion were verified. In
the presence of MgCl2 salt, the biosurfactant was the most stable, and improved results in terms of
emulsion stability were achieved. For binary systems of biosurfactant and MgCl2, CaCl2, and NaCl salts,
the maximum number of droplet diameters in the optimum concentration is 2200, 1120, and 1110,
respectively. The maximum number of droplet diameters in the surfactant and biosurfactant systems is
1010 and 880, respectively. Furthermore, it is 1200, 1110, and 1100, respectively, for the surfactant
binary system in the presence of MgCl2, CaCl2, and NaCl salts. MgCl2 > CaCl2 > NaCl was the order of
stability for the salt emulsion in the presence of both biosurfactant and commercial surfactants.
Novel/Additive Information: In this research, for the first time, we compared between biosurfactant and
commercial surfactant and their role in emulsion stability, there are several papers which have discussed
on the stability of the emulsion by commercial surfactant. Moreover, the innovation of this research was
the synergistic effect of both biosurfactant and salts together. The measurement of their droplet diameter
and its effect on the stability of the emulsion was investigated. This paper will be beneficial for Reservoir
Engineers, Production Engineers and engineers involved in enhanced oil recovery processes.
Keywords: Biosurfactant; Bacillus Subtilis; Emulsion stability; Formation water; Salts

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