Synthesis of Sulfosuccinate Derivatves as Emulsifier for Water- based Emulsion Drilling Fluids

In this paper, anionic emulsifiers of disodium lauryl ether sulfosuccinate and sodium lauryl ether sulfosuccinate ethoxylated were synthesized in laboratory scale. These chemicals were used in preparation of diesel/saline water and diesel/tap water emulsions, and the stability of the emulsions were examined with a procedure adopted by National Iranian South oil Company. Accordingly, by addition of one mililitre of water solutions containing 25,37 and 50 weight percent of the emulsifiers (synthesized chemical) to 100 mililiter mixtures of diesel/saline water and diesel/tap water having volume ratios of 60/40 and 70/30, and then homogenizing the mixtures with homogenizer working at high speed, a series of emulsions were prepared. By examining the stability of the emulsions at room temperature (for 24 hrs) and °90C (for 4 hrs), the performance of the synthesized chemicals as emulsifier in preparation of water-based emulsion drilling fluids were evaluated. The results of these experiments confirmed that the chemicals, in comparison with a commercial sample, had acceptable performance, because sodium lauryl ether sulfosuccinate ethoxylated in formulation of diesel/saline water and diesel/tap water, and also disodium lauryl ether sulfosuccinate in emulsions of diesel/ saline water showed being stable emulsifiers. In order to study the environmental effects of the synthesized chemicals, their aerobic biodegradation processes were examined by measuring the amount of carbon formed in their water solutions against incubation time, in comparison with a control sample. The results of the experiments showed that the two chemicals can be safely used as biodegradable emulsifiers in formulations of water based emulsion drilling fluids.