Determination of Mass of Tetrameric Acid at the Air/Water Interface by Combining Langmuir-Schaefer with QCM Measurements

Abstract

Tetra-acid (also known as Arn) is a molecule present in petroleum crude oil at low concentration, typically the ppm level, which can precipitate in presence of calcium to form deposits. These deposits have an impact on oil production and can even lead to costly shut-down. In order to understand the formation mechanism of these deposits, a new analytical method is currently being developed which aims to accurately determine the mass of tetra-acid at the oil-water interface. This new technique is based on the combination of quart crystal micro balance and Langmuir-Schaefer apparatuses.