New surface-active reagent has been synthesized on the basis of hexadecylamine and ethylene chlorohydrin. Composition and structure of this reagent have been identified by IR- and UV- spectroscopy methods. By tensiometric measurements, its high surface activity at the water-air border has been shown. By electroconductometric method, specific electrical conductivity of the aqueous solutions of the salt has been determined. The diameters of the aggregates formed by the synthesized surfactant in aqueous solutions have been determined via dynamic light scattering method. Petroleum-collecting properties of the synthesized salt (in the pure state and in the form of 5% wt. aqueous solution) have been studied on the example of crude oil from the Pirallahi oil field in the Absheron Peninsula (Azerbaijan). The surfactant (0.02 g) or its solution was added to a thin film (thickness 0.15-0.16 mm) of this petroleum on the surface of distilled water, fresh water and the Caspian Sea water (separately) in Petri dishes. By laboratory tests, its effectiveness for removal of ecologically-hazardous thin petroleum films from the water surface has been revealed.