Evaluation of Interfacial Properties of Aqueous Solutions of Anionic, Cationic and Non-ionic Surfactants for Application in Enhanced Oil Recovery

Sunil Kumar; Tausif Ahmad; Siddharth Shankhwar; Ajay Mandal

doi:10.3139/113.110607

Article

Evaluation of Interfacial Properties of Aqueous Solutions of Anionic, Cationic and Non-ionic Surfactants for Application in Enhanced Oil Recovery

Sunil Kumar , Tausif Ahmad , Siddharth Shankhwar and Ajay Mandal

Published/Copyright: March 7, 2019

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From the journal Tenside Surfactants Detergents Volume 56 Issue 2

Abstract

Surfactants play an important role in enhanced oil recovery by reducing the interfacial tension (IFT) between oil and water and changing the wettability of reservoir rock. Studies have been made to determine the effect of temperature, salt, alkali and polymer on IFT in the presence of anionic (SDS), cationic (CTAB) and nonionic (Tween 80) surfactants. The experimental data reveal that with increase in temperature the surface tension and IFT of the above surfactants are significantly reduced. IFT values of surfactants are also affected by the presence of polymer, alkali and salt. The results show that the addition of polymer increases the IFT as well as the contact angle of all the surfactant solutions. On the other hand, the presence of alkali in surfactant solution reduces the IFT between crude oil and water as alkali reacts with the acidic components of crude oil to form additional in-situ surfactants. It has been found that the presence of salt in an aqueous solution of different surfactants reduces IFT and contact angle as the salt increases the tendency of the surface active agents to accumulate at the interface. Sand pack flooding in presence of different chemical combinations has also been investigated. It has been found that the enhanced oil recovery by alkali-surfactant-polymer flooding is better than the corresponding surfactant and surfactant-polymer flooding.

Kurzfassung

Tenside spielen bei der tertiären Erdölförderung (Enhanced Oil Recovery, EOR) eine wichtige Rolle, indem sie die Grenzflächenspannung (IFT) zwischen Öl und Wasser verringern und die Benetzbarkeit des Reservoirgesteins verändern. Es wurden Studien durchgeführt, um die Wirkung von Temperatur, Salz-, Alkali- und Polymergehalt auf die IFT bei Anwesenheit von anionischen (SDS), kationischen (CTAB) und nichtionischen (Tween 80) Tensiden zu bestimmen. Die experimentellen Daten zeigen, dass mit zunehmender Temperatur die Oberflächen- und die Grenzflächenspannung für die obigen Tenside signifikant abnehmen. Die IFT-Werte dieser Tenside werden auch durch die Anwesenheit von Polymer, Alkali und Salz beeinflusst. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass die Zugabe von Polymer die IFT sowie den Kontaktwinkel aller Tensidlösungen erhöht. Andererseits verringert die Anwesenheit von Alkali in der Tensidlösung die IFT zwischen Rohöl und Wasser, da Alkali mit den sauren Komponenten des Rohöls reagiert, um zusätzliche In-situ-Tenside zu bilden. Es wurde festgestellt, dass die Anwesenheit von Salz in wässriger Lösung verschiedener Tenside die IFT und den Kontaktwinkel verringert, da durch Salz die Akkumulation der oberflächenaktiven Verbindungen an der Grenzfläche erhöht wird. Untersucht wurden auch Sandpackflutungen in Gegenwart verschiedener chemischer Kombinationen. Es wurde gefunden, dass die tertiäre Erdölgewinnung durch Fluten mit Alkali-Tensid-Polymer-Gemischen höher ist als durch das entsprechende Fluten mit Tensid bzw. mit Tensid-Polymer-Gemischen.

Key words: Surfactant; IFT; contact angle; enhanced oil recovery; flooding

Stichwörter: Tensid; Grenzflächenspannung (ITF); Kontaktwinkel; tertiäre Erdölförderung (EOR); Fluten

∗Correspondence address, Dr. Ajay Mandal, Enhanced oil recovery laboratory, Department of Petroleum Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology (ISM), Dhanbad, 826004, India, E-Mail: mandal_ajay@hotmail.com, mandal.a.pe@ismdhanbad.ac.in

Dr. Ajay Mandal is presently working as Associate Professor in Department of Petroleum Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology (ISM), Dhanbad. His research area includes, synthesis and characterization of surfactants, enhanced oil recovery, gas hydrates and multi-phase flow system. He has published more than 100 research papers in reputed peer reviewed International and National Journals. He is a reviewer of many International Journals. Dr. Mandal has been awarded 2015 SPE South Asia Regional Distinguished Achievement Award for Petroleum Engineering Faculty. He is also a member in the editorial board of International Journal of Petroleum Engineering.

Mr. Sunil Kumar is doing his PhD in the field of surfactant induced enhanced oil recovery in Department of Petroleum Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology (ISM), Dhanbad. Earlier he did his Masters in Petroleum Engineering from the same Institute. He has published seven papers in reputed international Journals.

Md Tausif Ahmad is PhD student in the department of Petroleum Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology (ISM), Dhanbad. Earlier he did his Masters in Petroleum Engineering from the same Institute.

Siddharth Shankhwar is a M.Tech student in the department of Petroleum Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology (ISM), Dhanbad.

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Received: 2017-02-22

Accepted: 2017-04-03

Published Online: 2019-03-07

Published in Print: 2019-03-15

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https://doi.org/10.3139/113.110607

Keywords for this article

Surfactant; IFT; contact angle; enhanced oil recovery; flooding