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Precipitation/redissolution phenomena in sulfonate/AlCl/sub 3/ solutions

Conference · · Soc. Pet. Eng. AIME, Pap.; (United States)
OSTI ID:6077709
The interaction of surfactants with multivalent ions such as Ca/sup 2 +/, Mg/sup 2 +/, and Al/sup 3 +/ can lead to their precipitation and, consequently, to surfactant loss in micellar flooding systems. Investigation of the precipitation behavior of CaCl/sub 2/, MgCl/sub 2//Na- dodecylbenzenesulfonate and Na-dodecylsulfonate systems showed that the precipitation of multivalent ions occurred in certain surfactant concentration regions and the precipitate redissolved upon increasing the surfactant concentration. In this study, the precipitation behavior of AlCl/sub 3/-Na-dodecylbenzenesulfona dodecylsulfonate systems and their pH dependence are discussed. AlCl/sub 3/-sulfonate systems similar to CaCl/sub 2/ systems exhibited precipitation/redissolution behavior and the redissolution was found to be caused by micellar solubilization. The sulfonate precipitation behavior was markedly influenced by the system pH. Results indicate that the competition among sulfonate monomers, micelles and hydroxyl ions for Al species control the system behavior. A quantitative model has been developed for the pH dependence of precipitation/redissolution. 11 references.
OSTI ID:
6077709
Report Number(s):
CONF-8306242-
Conference Information:
Journal Name: Soc. Pet. Eng. AIME, Pap.; (United States) Journal Volume: SPE-11796
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English