This 2000 book provides an introduction to the nature, occurrence, physical properties, propagation and uses of surfactants in the petroleum industry. It is aimed principally at scientists and engineers who may encounter or use surfactants, whether in process design, petroleum production, or research and development. The primary focus is on applications of the principles of colloid and interface science to surfactant applications in the petroleum industry, and includes attention to practical processes and problems. Applications of surfactants in the petroleum industry are of great practical importance and are also quite diverse, since surfactants may be applied to advantage throughout the petroleum production process: in reservoirs, in oil and gas wells, in surface processing operations, and in environmental, health and safety applications. In each case appropriate knowledge and practices determine the economic and technical successes of the industrial process concerned. The book includes a comprehensive glossary, indexed and fully cross-referenced.

Here is a comprehensive introduction to the highly practical and diverse applications of surfactants within the petroleum industry, detailing their nature, occurrence, physical properties, propagation, and uses. The focus is on the knowledge and practices needed to successfully deal with surfactants in the petroleum production process: in reservoirs, in oil and gas wells, in surface processing operations, and in environmental, health and safety applications. Throughout, important applications of colloid and interface science principles are emphasized and real-world processes and problems are clearly illustrated. The book also includes a comprehensive glossary.