A review of the use of nonionic surfactants and derivatives to improve fluid injection rates in waterflooding and enhanced oil recovery
Conference
·
OSTI ID:141328
- Shell Development Company, Houston, TX (United States)
In waterflooding and enhanced oil recovery, raising the aqueous fluid injection rate can increase the oil production rate, shorten project life, and increase profitability. However, one cannot increase injection pressures above rock fracturing or parting pressure. Acidizing has been used to increase injection rates. Another technique is to reduce oil saturation near the injection well. This alters one`s position on the oil-water relative permeability curve thereby increasing rock permeability to water. Thus aqueous fluid injection rates can be increased without raising injection pressures. Nonionic surfactants such as alcohol ethoxylates can be used to reduce the oil saturation near the injection wellbore. The surfactant is perhaps best chosen on the basis of dynamic interfacial tension (IFT) rather than equilibrium IFT data obtained under downhole conditions. The reason for preferring dynamic IFT values is the short residence time of the surfactant solutions in the rock near the wellbore. Other applicable laboratory techniques will be discussed.
- OSTI ID:
- 141328
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-930304--
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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