Stabilized water-in-mineral oil emulsion

A process for preparing a water-in-mineral oil emulsion, which comprises producing an emulsion starting from:

• (a) 1-50 vol.% of water,
• (b) 99-50 vol.% of a mineral oil selected from the group consisting of gasoline, kerosene, diesel oil, heavy gasoline and fuel oil,
• (c) an effective proportion of a surfactant, and
• (d) a finely divided stabilizer which is substantially undissolved in the constituent phases of the emulsion and forms an interface between said phases, said stabilizer being a compound comprising at least one polar group having a dipole of being capable of forming a hydrogen bridge and at least 2 non-polar hydrocarbon groups containing at least 8 carbon atoms, said compound being selected from the group consisting of (i) a di- or tri-amide obtained by reacting a fatty acid with a compound containing 2 or 3 amino groups, (ii) the product obtained by reacting a mono-, di- and/or tri-alkanolamine soap derived from a natural or synthetic fatty acid and a quaternary ammonium salt comprising at least one substituent containing at least 8 carbon atoms, whereby the remaining substituents may consist of alkyl groups containing 1-3 carbon atoms, and (iii) a polymer obtained by reacting a polyalkyl anhydride with a compound containing at least 2 amino groups, said stabilizer being formed in situ.