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Title: Comparative evaluation of microemulsions and aqueous surfactant systems. [Of oil-water interfacial tension, adsorption on reservoir rock, and stability with divalent ions and high salinity brines]

Conference ·
OSTI ID:7299630

Comparisons of identical concentrations of petroleum sulfonates and cosurfactants were made using oil-external microemulsion, a water-external microemulsion, and an aqueous surfactant solution. Criteria used were oil-water interfacial tension, adsorption on reservoir rock, and stability with divalent ions and high salinity brines. The water-external microemulsions produced lower interfacial tensions and were less affected by adsorption, while the oil-external microemulsions showed a better tolerance for brine and divalent ions. Tests were made on sandstone cores and artificial preparations such as silica gel, using a low equivalent weight sulfonate of 340 and a high equivalent weight sulfonate of 495. Although no system has superiority in all categories of comparison, it appears that the aqueous system would give better overall performance.

OSTI ID:
7299630
Resource Relation:
Conference: Improved oil recovery symposium of the Society of Petroleum Engineers, Tulsa, OK, USA, 22 Apr 1974; Related Information: Preprint No. 4749
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English