FACTORS THAT AFFECT CRUDE OIL VISCOSITY AND TECHNIQUES TO REDUCE IT: A REVIEW

During oil extraction, the high viscosity of crude oil cause major problems, affecting negatively the oil production rate. Many studies have focused on evaluating the properties of different crude oil grades and their production techniques. The main causes of high viscosity are the presence of solids and high concentrations of heavy fractions and the formation of water-in-oil (W/O) emulsions. This paper discusses the mechanisms that seek to reduce the viscosity of oil containing high concentrations of heavy fractions, the mechanisms of formation and destabilization of emulsions, and the use of polymers in technologies to reduce viscosity, mainly by applying emulsion viscosity reducers (EVRs).