Model for the low interfacial tension of the hydrocarbon-water-surfactant system

Journal Article · Sat Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1978 · J. Colloid Interface Sci.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0021-9797(78)90367-3· OSTI ID:6592937

Antoniewicz, P R; Rodriguez, R

Recently, there has been great interest in the observed reduction of hydrocarbon-water interfacial tensions to very low values by introducing appropriate surfactants. Part of the interest is due to the potential value in secondary and tertiary oil recovery. However, the mechanism itself is not well understood. A phenomenological model of the hydrocarbon-water-surfactant system is presented. Postulating a surfactant molecule-interface interaction and lateral interactions among the surfactant molecules which are confined to a lattice on the interface, a free energy for the surface phase is calculated, and the interfacial tension is found. In particular, the model seems to account for the striking minima in the interfacial tension of the system as a function of alkane carbon number, which are observed experimentally. Several interaction energy parameters are obtained by fitting the theoretical model to the experimental curves. (15 refs.)

• Research Organization: Texas Univ
• OSTI ID: 6592937
• Journal Information: J. Colloid Interface Sci.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Colloid Interface Sci.; (United States) Vol. 64:2; ISSN JCISA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300 -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
400301* -- Organic Chemistry-- Chemical & Physicochemical Properties-- (-1987)
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
ENHANCED RECOVERY
EVALUATION
FLUID INJECTION
INTERACTIONS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MICELLAR SYSTEMS
MICROEMULSION FLOODING
MISCIBLE-PHASE DISPLACEMENT
OIL WELLS
RECOVERY
REDUCTION
STIMULATION
SURFACE PROPERTIES
SURFACE TENSION
SURFACTANTS
WELL STIMULATION
WELLS