Joumal of Emmmeual Sienes Vol. I5. No.4.p.506-- S09,200Article ID: 1001-0742(2003 )04-0506-04CLC number: X131 Document code; ACharacterization of water-in-crude oil emulsions in oil spillresponseWEI Qu-fu, MATHER R. R., FOTHERINGHAM A.F.. YANC R.D.(Heriol-Wi ait University Sotish Brrders (armpus. Gaulashiels, UK. E-nuail: Q.wei@ hw.ac.nk)Alstract: The frmatonn of warincude oil enmulsions oceurs when ende vils ar silll intu 格，The ater-in-enude oil emulsiosspgilcanly change the poperties of the silledl crude ais and in tur inLueuce the choicte made relating to oil spill cunetemeaure. Thewarerin-:ude oil eulsions were charcerieed uwing various technique in this study. The pninmental srnoing elertror ricrousupobeervation of water droplets in the emulsions is alsn presented. It is a pxnwerful toxul in enulsion observatione.Keywords: wil spill; waler-in-oil emulsions; oil spill respone; DSC: ESEMIntroduction0il is the major source of energy in our moderm industrial world. It fuels the rmachines and lubricalesthe wheels of the world' s production. But when this vital resource is out of control, it can destroy life anddevauslute the environment and economy .As long as oil is explored，lnansported, slorud and used there will be the risk of oil spills with thepotential to cause significant enviroumental darmuges. When oil is spilled into a marine environment, it issubject to several processes called weathering ( Daling, 1999). The three dominant processes that causechanges in oil characteristics over time are spreading. evaporation and emulsification if oil spills at sea.Spreading reduces oil thickness, and evaporation increases densily and viscosity ，The emulsificationprocess signifieantly inereases the viscosily of spilled oil and its density( Sebastiao, 1995). All these in lurn .influence choices made relating tw oil spill countermeasures.Cnude oil is a rmixture of aliphatie, aromnatic hydrocarbons and