A New Approach to ASP Flooding in High Saline and Hard Carbonate Reservoirs

Comprehensive review on surfactant adsorption on mineral surfaces in chemical enhanced oil recovery

“…70 The main issue with ASP flooding is the precipitation caused by the reaction of injected alkalis and surfactants with divalent cations from the dissolution of carbonates. 212 This also makes the investigation of adsorption on carbonate rocks much more complex compared to sandstone surfaces. Static adsorption experiments revealed that cationic surfactants may exhibit significantly less adsorption on carbonate minerals than anionic surfactants.…”

Understanding the Cation-Dependent Surfactant Adsorption on Clay Minerals in Oil Recovery

“…29,30 Because of the high clay content of carbonate reservoirs, significant adsorption of surfactant and polymer was found. 31 Ma et al observed a negligible adsorption of a cationic surfactant on synthetic calcite (no clay was present), whereas the adsorbed amount was substantial on natural limestone and could be positively correlated with the clay content as deduced from the observed aluminum and silicon content of the rock. 32 In this picture, clay minerals, such as kaolinite, smectite, illite, and chlorite, on the rock surfaces have been claimed as key in the performance of the surfactant adsorption.…”

“…Based on the composition of the rocks, oil reservoirs are generally divided into sandstone and carbonate, with the presence of clay minerals. For sandstones, anionic surfactant adsorption primarily depends more on the presence of the amount of clay than quartz or silica. , In the understanding of LS water flooding, the presence of both clay minerals and divalent cations were necessary, in particular for the surface reactions. , Because of the high clay content of carbonate reservoirs, significant adsorption of surfactant and polymer was found . Ma et al observed a negligible adsorption of a cationic surfactant on synthetic calcite (no clay was present), whereas the adsorbed amount was substantial on natural limestone and could be positively correlated with the clay content as deduced from the observed aluminum and silicon content of the rock .…”