Criteria for Surfactant Selection in Micellar Flooding

Abstract

SPE Member Crmyright 19SS,Societyof PetroleumErrginaare Thiepaperwaa praaemada! the SPE 19SSInternational Meetingon Petroleum Engineering hefdIn Saijing,ChinaMarch17-20. 19S5.TbsmaIerial iẽ W tocw=fkm fv t~author.Permbaionto COPY iarestricted toan abetracl of notmorethan 300 words write SPE, P.O. SCM SW&w Riohardaon, Taxaa750S3.3535.Telex:730ss9SPE DAL. Ass'fRAcrA review of how surfactantmolecular structure affects those properties which determine micellar process performance is presented. Surfactants for both 10W and high salintty applicatlone are considered. Those factors which contribute to the formation of polysulfonated petroleum sulfonatee are discuesed.A variaty of approaches to formulationcf aynt%etic sulfo~atesare contrasted, and the important factors of molecular structure are delineated. Finally, several approaches for application in high salinitylhardness reservoirs are described. 207-.. . . .

Phase Trapping Effects in Viscous-modified Low Interfacial Tension Flow during Surfactant-polymer Flooding in Heavy Oil Reservoirs

“…Excessive surfactant retention results in adverse phase behavior properties, resulting in high IFTs and retrapment of mobilized oil (Friedmann, 1986). Moreover, oil is trapped because the oil droplets are not sufficiently deformable to allow the pressure gradient to push the fronts of the droplets through some pore throats (Salter, 1988). Some studies on the trapping of the wetting and non-wetting phases in surfactant-based chemical flooding have been reported in the literature.…”