Performance and Evaluation of Ionic Liquids as Viscosity Reducers on Indian Crude Oil

The high viscosity of unconventional oil is one of the main problems with this kind of fuel, which has seen a dramatic surge in output as a result of the energy crisis. A number of transportation deficiencies are observed because of the high viscosity and tight emulsion of unconventional oil which in turn results in economic drifts in the petroleum industries. The work pertains to inhibit the complex components present in crude oil using new generation green chemicals i.e. ionic liquids has been employed to improve the viscosity of the crude oil. Asphaltene clumping can be adhered by the ionic liquids with long alkyl chains attributable to the π–π* interactions and hydrogen bonds formation between them. A series of four alkyl imidazolium based ionic liquids products along with dodecyl-benzene sulphonic acid (DBSA); DIL1, DIL2, DIL3 and DIL4, were obtained with yields of approximately 80, 83, 85 and 85%, respectively, which were characterized through FT-IR and 1H NMR. The synthesized products were evaluated on crude oil having API gravity of 28.57º and pour point 30 ºC. To study the behaviour of crude oil along with additives, pour point studies and theological studies followed by absorbance studies through UV-visible spectrometer for asphaltene onset precipitation was performed. It was found that the synthesized ionic liquids work as viscosity reducers and reduces the viscosity of crude oil upto 78%.