Effects of salinity and clay type on oil–mineral aggregation

Effects of salinity and clay type on the aggregation process of crude oil and clay particles (oil–mineral aggregates – OMA) were studied in the laboratory. OMA were generated by shaking various oil/clay mixtures in water at 20 °C and at a pre-determined energy level. Shape, median and maximum sizes, size distribution and concentration of oil droplets forming OMA were measured using epi-fluorescence microscopy. Results showed that the median and maximum sizes and the concentration of mineral-stabilized droplets increase rapidly when salinity increases from zero to a critical aggregation salinity in the range of 1.2–3.5 ppt. The magnitude of the increase of droplet size is controlled by clay type, while the increase of droplet concentration is influenced by oil type. Size distributions of oil droplets are self-similar, but their magnitudes depend on salinity and oil type. The effect of salinity on droplet size distribution is strongly influenced by clay type. Empirical relationships are derived to calculate concentration and size distribution of mineral-stabilized droplets.