Capillary and interfacial forces are of great influences of trapping hydrocarbon in porous media after primary and secondary recovery processes. The trapped crude oil in the reservoir can be mobilized and produced by reducing these forces. Thus, surfactant flooding, as a main enhanced oil recovery (EOR) method, is usually applied to reduce the interfacial tension (IFT) of crude oil-water system in porous medium and improves the oil recovery. This study focused on the effect of [C 8 Py][Cl] and [C 18 Py][Cl] ionic liquids (ILs), as a new family of surfactant, in combination with various salts including sodium chloride, potassium chloride, magnesium sulfate and potassium sulfate on IFT reduction. EOR injection solutions were prepared from mixing the ILs at different concentrations of 100, 250, 500 and 1000 ppm with the salts ranging from 500 to 80,000 ppm. Obtained results showed that the minimum IFT value from both ILs was achieved when the concentration of the ILs was about 1000 g/mL, and the concentrations of KCl, K 2 SO 4 , MgSO 4 and NaCl were 1000, 2000, 500 and 80,000 ppm, respectively. The minimum IFTs were achieved when NaCl and ILs concentrations were the maximum and MgSO 4 concentration was the minimum.

No abstract

Surfactants are used in the process of chemical water injection to reduce interfacial tension of water and oil and consequently decrease the capillary pressure in the reservoir. However, other mechanisms such as altering the wettability of the reservoir rock, creating foam and forming a stable emulsion are also other mechanisms of the surfactants flooding. In this study, the effects of three commercially available surfactants, namely AN-120, NX-1510 and TR-880, in different concentrations on interfacial tension of water and oil, the wettability of the reservoir rock and, ultimately, the increase in oil recovery based on pendant drop experiments, contact angle and carbonate core flooding have been investigated. The effects of concentration, temperature, pressure and salinity on the performances of these surfactants have also been shown. The results, in addition to confirming the capability of the surfactants to reduce interfacial tension and altering the wettability to hydrophilicity, show that the TR-880 has the better ability to reduce interfacial tension than AN-120 and NX-1510, and in the alteration of wettability the smallest contact angle was obtained by dissolving 1000 ppm of surfactant NX-1510. Also, the results of interfacial tension tests confirm the better performances of these surfactants in formation salinity and high salinity. Additionally, a total of 72% recovery was achieved with a secondary saline water flooding and flooding with a 1000 ppm of TR-880 surfactant.

No abstract