Suitability study of locally sourced surfactants for chemical enhanced oil recovery

Abstract

The need for this project is centred around economic issues encountered during production operations of oil and gas. The need to recover more oil after the reservoir’s natural energy is depleted lead to enhanced oil recovery methods. During enhanced oil recovery using surfactants, the cost of surfactants has also become as issue thus the need to use locally available materials to synthesize formulas good enough to replicate the work of these conventional surfactants. In this study, suitability evaluation was conducted on locally sourced surfactants for chemical enhanced oil recovery. The local materials were as follows: local bar soap (LBS), a blend of aloe vera extract and almond leave extract (AVALE) while sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS) was utilised as conventional surfactant. Fourier transform spectroscopy (FTIR), critical micelle concentration (CMC), adsorption tests and core flooding was carried out on both the local and conventional surfactants. From the result of the FTIR study, LBS, AVALE recorded similar functional groups with SLS. From the CMC tests, SLS and AVALE recorded its CMC at 0.5%wt while the LBS was at 0.75%wt. From the adsorption test results, AVALE recorded its best rate at 0.75%wt, LBS at 0.25%wt while SLS was at 0.75%wt. After core flooding, SLS the conventional surfactant returned as the best surfactant with a peak displacement efficiency of 64.29% while LBS returned as the best alternative at 62.5%. AVALE blend returned a displacement efficiency of 60%.