Oil Recovery Performance of Surfactant Solutions and Adsorption in Sandstone

• Published in: Petroleum science and technology Vol. 26; no. 1; pp. 77 - 90
• Main Authors: Curbelo, F. D. S., Barros Neto, E. L., Dutra, T. V., Castro Dantas, T. N., Garnica, A. I. C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Colchester Taylor & Francis Group 01.01.2008; Taylor & Francis
• Subjects: Adsorption; Applied sciences; critical micelle concentration; Crude oil; Crude oil, natural gas and petroleum products; Energy; Ethoxylation; Exact sciences and technology; Flooding; Fuels; Micelles; nonionic surfactant; Oil recovery; Petroleum products, gas and fuels. Motor fuels, lubricants and asphalts; Pressure gradients; Processing of crude oil and oils from shales and tar sands. Processes. Equipment. Refinery and treatment units; sandstone; Surfactants; nonionic surfactant; Adsorption; critical micelle concentration; Micelle; Surfactant; sandstone; oil recovery
• ISSN: 1091-6466; 1532-2459
• DOI: 10.1080/10916460600705790

In this article, five nonionic surfactants with different ethoxylation degrees (R70, R95, R120, R150, and R200) were evaluated in surfactant adsorption experiments and oil recovery tests. Both sets of tests were carried out in a surfactant flooding apparatus using 30 psi as pressure gradient. The concentration of the solutions injected in adsorption tests were 30% above the critical micelle concentration (c.m.c.) to ensure micelle formation. In oil recovery tests, the solution concentration varied from the c.m.c. until 500% above it. The results obtained showed that adsorption was higher for R120 and the better oil recovery was for R200.