The influence of petroleum sulphonate (TRS) on interfacial properties and stability of the emulsions formed by formation water and asphaltene, resin and crude model oils from Gudong crude oil was investigated by measurement of interfacial shear viscosity, interfacial tension (IFT) and emulsion stability. With increasing petroleum sulphonate concentration, IFT between the formation water and the asphaltene, resin and crude model oils decreases significantly. The interfacial shear viscosity and emulsion stability of asphaltene and crude model oil system increase for the petroleum sulphonate concentration in the range 0.1% to 0.3%, and decrease slightly when the concentration of the surfactant is 0.5%. There exists a close correlation between the interfacial shear viscosity and the stability of the emulsions formed by asphaltene or crude model oils and petroleum sulphonate solution. The stability of the emulsions is determined by the strength of the interfacial film formed of petroleum sulphonate molecules and the natural interfacial active components in the asphaltene fraction and the crude oil. The asphaltene in the crude oil plays a major role in determining the interfacial properties and the stability of the emulsions.