The partitioning of nonionic and anionic surfactant mixtures between oil/microemulsion/water phases
Mixtures of different types of surfactant have been proposed for application in polymer/micellar flooding processes. In some cases severe fractionation of such mixtures is found even in short core experiments whereas other mixture types are difficult to separate. In this paper a new theory of surfactant partitioning between phases is developed and the predictions based on this theory tested experimentally. Mixtures of polydisperse nonionic surfactant have been blended with an anionic surfactant and the composition of the phases in equilibrium determined. The comparison of the measured composition with those calculated is excellent thereby confirming the validity of the theory. The important parameters appearing in the theory are the critical micelle concentrations of surfactant mixtures in water and the partition coefficients of the surfactant between oil and water measured at total surfactant concentrations less than the critical micelle concentration (CMC). From these simple experiments, surfactant fractionation in microemulsion systems can be modeled. This work also shows that the fractionation of polydisperse ethoxylated nonionic surfactants between excess oil and water phases is not as severe in the presence of anionic surfactants as compared to systems containing only nonionic surfactants. Thus, mixtures of the two types may be expected to perform better than when nonionic surfactants are applied alone.
- Research Organization:
- Univ. of Pau
- OSTI ID:
- 6324772
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-8409104-
- Journal Information:
- Soc. Pet. Eng. AIME, Pap.; (United States), Journal Name: Soc. Pet. Eng. AIME, Pap.; (United States) Vol. SPE13030; ISSN SEAPA
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
COLLOIDS
DISPERSIONS
DISPLACEMENT FLUIDS
EMULSIONS
ENERGY SOURCES
ENHANCED RECOVERY
FLUID INJECTION
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FRACTIONATION
FUELS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
MICROEMULSION FLOODING
MICROEMULSIONS
MISCIBLE-PHASE DISPLACEMENT
OIL WELLS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PETROLEUM
RECOVERY
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SURFACTANTS
WATER
WATERFLOODING
WELLS