Surfactant-enhanced sodium bicarbonate flooding. Project OE6
Three anionic and four nonionic surfactants were tested for their emulsification behavior with TRONACRAB (sodium bicarbonate) and Wilmington crude oil. Three of the surfactants were found to enhance the solubilization of oil in the brine phase in the presence of TRONACARB according to the screening guide established in this study. Interfacial tension measurements were made on the most promising systems. The results support the hypothesis that a synergistic relationship can exist between low concentrations of synthetic surfactant and TRONACRAB. In batch experiments using kaolinite and in a linear coreflood using consolidated Berea sandstone, TRONACRAB reduced adsorption of surfactant by up to 93%. TRONACARB was less effective in preventing adsorption onto crushed Berea sandstone probably due to an unusually high amount of ferrodolomite (calcium magnesium carbonate with iron impurities). The following conclusion have been made from the results of this work. (1) Addition of water-soluble synthetic surfactants to brines containing TRONACARB enhances the aqueous solubility of surfactants formed in situ. (2) The greatest solubilization of oil into the brine phase occurs when TRONACARB is used with synthetic surfactant. (3) The use of TRONACARB in combination with synthetic surfactants results in ultralow interfacial tension upon contact with the oil phase. (4) TRONACARB decreases the temperature at which ninionics can solubilize oil effectively (lower IFT). The use of nonionics at lower temperatures will reduce adsorption significantly. (5) TRONACARB is as useful as higher pH alkaline agents in preventing adsoprtion of anionic surfactants. 12 refs., 10 figs., 4 tabs.
- Research Organization:
- National Inst. for Petroleum and Energy Research, Bartlesville, OK (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- FC22-83FE60149
- OSTI ID:
- 5353086
- Report Number(s):
- NIPER-181; ON: DE86015633
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
ACID CARBONATES
ADSORPTION
ALKALI METAL COMPOUNDS
ALUMINIUM COMPOUNDS
ALUMINIUM SILICATES
BENCH-SCALE EXPERIMENTS
BRINES
DATA
DRILL CORES
ENERGY SOURCES
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FLUID INJECTION
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
INFORMATION
INTERFACES
KAOLINITE
MEDIUM TEMPERATURE
MINERALS
NUMERICAL DATA
OIL WELLS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PETROLEUM
PHASE STUDIES
REAGENTS
ROCKS
SANDSTONES
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
SILICATE MINERALS
SILICATES
SILICON COMPOUNDS
SODIUM COMPOUNDS
SORPTION
SORPTIVE PROPERTIES
SURFACE PROPERTIES
SURFACE TENSION
SURFACTANTS
SYNERGISM
TIME DEPENDENCE
WATERFLOODING
WELLS