Compositional effects on surfactant flood optimization
This study presents results of phase-behavior studies and oil displacement tests conducted in Berea sandstone cores which show that surfactant flood systems based on optimal salinity design displace oil with different efficiencies. The optimal salinity for a given oil-surfactant system was varied by using alcohol cosurfactants with different water solubilities. The results suggest that there exists a preferred optimal salinity (referred to as the unique salinity) at which oil recovery is maximized. The value of this preferred optimal salinity was shown to increase with decreasing equivalent weight of the surfactant and with increasing effective alkane carbon number (EACN) of the oil displaced. For displacement of a given EACN oil, the cosurfactant type yielding the unique salinity design was substantially the same for various surfactant types. The existence of the unique salinity is attributed to the dominance of deleterious effects from cosurfactant dilution at salinities less than the unique value and surfactant retention at salinities greater than the unique value. The results of these studies provide a basis for optimal design based on maximized oil recovery. 25 references.
- OSTI ID:
- 5683583
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-790913-
- Journal Information:
- Soc. Pet. Eng. AIME, Pap.; (United States), Journal Name: Soc. Pet. Eng. AIME, Pap.; (United States) Vol. SPE-8324; ISSN SEAPA
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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