Surfactant Formulation for Enhanced Oil Recovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current enhanced oil recovery methods face challenges in effectively displacing oil from subterranean reservoirs due to high interfacial tension between oil and water, especially in reservoirs with varying salinity and high wax content, where traditional surfactants like alkylaryl sulfonates exhibit poor phase behavior and limited oil solubilization.
Innovation Solution
An enhanced oil recovery surfactant formulation comprising a primary surfactant with an alkylaromatic moiety, a secondary co-surfactant with isomerized alpha olefin sulfonate, a solvent, a passivator, and a polymer, which together form stable microemulsions with ultra-low interfacial tensions, optimizing oil solubilization and recovery across varying reservoir conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If traditional surfactants like alkylaryl sulfonates are used, then interfacial tension between oil and water is reduced, but phase behavior deteriorates in reservoirs with varying salinity and high wax content
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple surfactant types (alkylaryl sulfonates, alkyl polyglucosides, and alkyl polyoxethylene ethers) into a composite surfactant system. This composite formulation maintains effective interfacial tension reduction while achieving robust phase behavior across varying salinity conditions and high wax content reservoirs, resolving the contradiction between interfacial tension reduction and phase behavior reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the chemical composition parameters of the surfactant system by incorporating surfactants with different molecular structures and properties. The alkyl polyglucosides and alkyl polyoxethylene ethers provide different functional characteristics that complement the alkylaryl sulfonates, enabling the system to maintain stable phase behavior across a broader range of salinity and temperature conditions while effectively lowering interfacial tension.
2Ease of manufacture
If water flooding is used, then the flooding process is simple and widely applicable, but oil displacement efficiency is low due to high interfacial tension
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition of the flooding water by adding a multi-component surfactant system. This modifies the interfacial tension parameter between oil and water, transforming the simple water flooding process into an enhanced chemical flooding process that achieves high oil displacement efficiency while maintaining operational simplicity and broad applicability.
3Productivity
If surfactants are added to modify flooding liquid properties, then oil mobilization is improved, but formulation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite surfactant formulation that combines multiple surfactant types, each contributing specific functional properties. While the formulation is chemically complex, the patent provides systematic guidance for selecting and combining these surfactants based on reservoir conditions, making the complexity manageable and the oil mobilization results highly effective.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent designs a surfactant system where each component serves multiple functions: alkylaryl sulfonates provide strong interfacial tension reduction, alkyl polyglucosides contribute to micelle formation and stability, and alkyl polyoxethylene ethers enhance solubility and phase behavior. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional specialized additives, managing formulation complexity while achieving superior oil mobilization.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The formulation achieves high oil recovery by reducing interfacial tension and stabilizing microemulsions, effectively mobilizing trapped oil in reservoirs with diverse salinity and wax content, enhancing the overall efficiency of oil recovery processes.
Implementation Method 1
Surfactants have been found to effectively lower the interfacial tension between oil and water and enable mobilization of trapped oil through the reservoir
Implementation Method 2
the swollen micellar solutions that contain surfactants, oil and water are termed microemulsions. At optimal salinity an equal volume of oil and water are solubilized in the microemulsion
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention is directed to an enhanced oil recovery formulation which comprises: (a) an alkylaromatic sulfonate; (b)an isomerized olefin sulfonate (c) a solvent; (d) a passivator; and (e) a polymer.