Operating system

Geology

Engineering

Oil sands

Composite material

Asphalt

Organic chemistry

Chemistry

Materials science

Corrosion

Emulsion

Naphthenic acid

Crude oil

Environmental science

Computer science

Pulp and paper industry

Waste management

Petroleum engineering

Process (computing)

Fuel

Naphthenic acids (NAs) are widely present in crude oil and oil sands process-affected water (OSPW). NAs in crude oil lead to corrosion problems, promote emulsion formation, decrease oil quality, and deactivate catalysts, making it critical to isolate NAs. Owing to their toxicity and recalcitrance, the existence of NAs induces serious environmental problems and is the primary target for treating OSPW. The current review provides a summary on the properties and adverse effects of NAs and compares existing techniques to separate NAs from crude oil and OSPW. The mechanisms of these approaches as well as limitations are described. Given the environmental impacts of NAs, new, more effective technologies for extracting and treating these materials must be found.

On naphthenic acids removal from crude oil and oil sands process-affected water