Chemicals for enhanced oil recovery. Quarterly report, October 1-December 31, 1980

Technical Report · Wed Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1980

OSTI ID:6994752

Johnson, Jr, J S

Studies on the salinity range in which three liquid phases are observed for systems containing a tall oil ethoxylate or related nonionic surfactant, a cosurfactant, aqueous NaCl, and a hydrocarbon were extended. Increasing hydrophile-lipophile balance, HLB, causes an increase in the salinity needed to effect the transition of the surfactant from the lower to the upper phase. However, other factors besides HLB seem to be involved. Addition of the nonionic surfactant increases optimal salinity by an amount which depends on its hydrophilic character. Sodium-2-methyloleate,-2-butyloleate, -2-hexyloleate, -2,2-dimethyloleate, and -2,2-diethyloleate were synthesized and its phase behavior in aqueous/hydrocarbon systems studied. Adsorption of a commercial petroleum sulfonate from 0.1 M NaCl on the sodium form of montmorillonite was reduced a factor of ten by caustic extract from bleaching of wood pulp. In a comparison of several pulping wastes or byproducts as sacrificial agents, caustic extract and weak black liquor appeared most effective, and lignosulfonate only slightly less effective. Plugging tests of the filtrates obtained in the biomass-polymer separations indicated that polish filtration probably would be required. The microscreen is the most economical of the biomass separation methods. Small fermenter tests indicate that Sclerotium rolfsii cultures are able to tolerate salinity of 2 to 4% w/v NaCl in the fermentation broth makeup water; however, the organism was unable to grow in 6% w/v NaCl.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-26
• OSTI ID: 6994752
• Report Number(s): DOE/BETC/OR-15
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
MICROEMULSION FLOODING
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
OIL WELLS
WOOD WASTES
WASTE PRODUCT UTILIZATION
ADSORPTION
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
ENHANCED RECOVERY
FILTRATION
INTERFACES
PETROLEUM SULFONATES
SALINITY
SULFONATES
SURFACE TENSION
SURFACTANTS
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ESTERS
FLUID INJECTION
MISCIBLE-PHASE DISPLACEMENT
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC SULFUR COMPOUNDS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
RECOVERY
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SOLID WASTES
SORPTION
SULFONIC ACID ESTERS
SURFACE PROPERTIES
WASTES
WELLS
020300* - Petroleum- Drilling & Production