The Effect of Phase Behavior on Recovery Efficiency with Micellar Floods

Abstract

emulsions produced by blending petroleum sulfonate, an alcohol GS G "ccwifGct~~t," CId !xines.The term Phase diagrams were developed for two oilsand applies toa surfactant at above its critical micelle two combinations of petroleum sulfonate and alcohol concentration. There is no sharp boundary between to determine whether such diagrams are useful asa micellar flooding and other types of surfactant flooding. screening test forsurfactants to be used inmicellar flooding. The diagrams i Ilustrate the effects of sur-Since h pioneer work of Gogarty, Davis, and factant concentration, salinity, cosurfactants, calcium, coworkers)~2 fluids of higher oil content have been and tripolyphasphate; temperature and pH effects were tested in the laboratory and field byHolm and also examined. Because of the importance ofrheo-others,3-5 and fluids of higher water content have Iogical properties in recovery, an aqueous micellar been studied6~7 elsewhere. Related work with petrofluid was studied. Viscosity data were supplemented Ieum sulfonate surfactants has been reported from 8-14 The various micellar fluids by conductance measurements to get abetter under-several laboratories. standing of the colloidal changes taking place. A few differ in viscosity and homogeneity, and intheirre-Iaboratorymicel Iar floods showed an encouraging cor-sponse to salinity, temperature, and the presence of relation with phase behavior. diva ient ions.