Effects of single and mixed alkanes on interfacial properties, solubilization in microemulsions and the oil displacement process
The objective of this study is to provide a broad framework of understanding of the effect of single and mixed alkanes having the same equivalent alkane carbon number (EACN) on phenomena arising from the mixing of a surfactant, brine, oil and in some cases a cosurfactant, and from the use of a surfactant slug for tertiary oil recovery. Single and mixed alkanes of identical EACN, when used as the oil component in surfactant systems containing 5%TRS 10-410, 3% isobutanol, brine and oil, produce systems with the same phase and coalescence behavior. As the EACN of oil increases, the optimal salinity increases linearly, the solubilization parameter at optimal salinity decreases and the salinity range in which the system exhibits three phases increases. Studies revealed that maximum oil recovery is obtained at the optimal salinity of the surfactant formulation. The desirable conditions for maximum oil recovery were found to be as follows: the surfactant/alcohol slug should form a system of ultralow interfacial tension, should have a wide range of three-phase salinity, a high solubilization capacity and a rapid separation of the macroemulsion into three phases, and should consist of an alcohol with relatively low partitioning in brine or oil. It is shown that the Schulman-Bowcott titration curve to obtain a clear microemulsion of a sodium dodecyl sulfate, n-Hexanol, water and alkane system goes through a minimum at a specific alkane content. The slope of the curve is used to characterize mixtures of alkanes according to their EACN. Only a slight increase in the alcohol partitioning into the oil phase is observed with an increase in the EACN. The titration curve is also used to estimate pyrene partitioning in the interface and oil phase of a W/O microemulsion. Consequently, pyrene fluorescence can be used to estimate the partitioning of n-Hexanol in the interface and oil phase.
- Research Organization:
- Florida Univ., Gainesville (USA)
- OSTI ID:
- 5944704
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
ALCOHOLS
ALKANES
BRINES
COLLOIDS
DISPERSIONS
DISPLACEMENT FLUIDS
EMULSIONS
ENERGY SOURCES
ENHANCED RECOVERY
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
HYDROCARBONS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
INTERFACES
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MICROEMULSIONS
MOLECULAR STRUCTURE
OPTIMIZATION
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PETROLEUM
PHASE STUDIES
RECOVERY
SALINITY
SOLUBILITY
SURFACE PROPERTIES
SURFACE TENSION
SURFACTANTS