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Comparative effectiveness of natural surfactant extracted fromSapindus mukorossiin laboratory and commercial surfactant Brij 30 was determined. Light crude oil was collected from ONGC, Gujarat, India. Its pour point and viscosity decreased significantly after adding surfactants. Wax crystal structure and crystal size distribution was analyzed using cross polarized light microscope and dynamic light scattering techniques. There was remarkable reduction in radius of wax crystals after addition of both the surfactants. Microscopic studies showed significant change in size and structure of wax crystals favoring reduction in viscosity. The possible mechanism behind improvement of flow properties was also analyzed through FTIR studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effect of surfactants on rheological properties of heavy crude oil obtained from Mehsana Asset, Gujarat, India, were studied. Studies on effectiveness towards flow behavior were made using a surfactant extracted from a tropical Indian plantMadhuca longifolia(Mahua) and nonionic surfactant Brij-30 considering various contributing parameters such as temperature, concentration, and shear rate. Tests were performed at controlled shear rate. At 25°C, 2000 ppm Mahua and Brij-30 addition reduced viscosity of crude oil by 48% and 52%, respectively. Complex and viscous modulus of crude oil decreased significantly due to addition of both the surfactants. FTIR studies of crude-surfactant mixture showed remarkable decrease in concentration of viscosity enhancing groups such as alkanes, alcoholic, and acidic groups indicating the effectiveness of both the surfactants. Naturally extracted surfactant may be used as flow improver for transporting heavy crude oil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Application of novel natural surfactant for enhancing rheological properties including pour point, viscosity, thixotropic behavior, yield stress, and interfacial tension of Indian heavy crude oil was investigated. The surfactant was prepared in the laboratory using extracts fromSapindus mukorossi(soapnut) plant. Viscosity reduced by 80%, thixotropic area by 94.64%, yield stress by 98%, and interfacial tension by 97%. The study also provides the possible mechanism behind improvement of the rheological properties through FTIR spectroscopic analyses. They showed lowering of concentration of C˭O and C˭C groups in surfactant-crude mixture indicating the effectiveness of the surfactant. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]