The process of flotation improves the separation of the oil droplets from the water continuous phase. This goal is accomplished by increasing the difference in density between the two fluids by attaching gas bubbles to the oil droplet. The flotation process will decrease vessel retention time, thereby decreasing the separating vessel size required to allow a specified droplet size to float to the surface or decreasing the size of oil droplet that can be captured by a separation vessel of specified size.
