A review of fluid displacement mechanisms in surfactant-based chemical enhanced oil recovery processes: Analyses of key influencing factors

Boutarfaïa, Ahmed; Haddad, Amin Sharifi; Rafati, Roozbeh

doi:10.1016/j.petsci.2021.11.021

Cited by 68 publications

(45 citation statements)

References 232 publications

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“…Nonetheless, a careful selection of chemicals is required to achieve the desired efficiency during the surfactant–polymer flooding process. This is because the combination of a surfactant and a polymer with widely different properties can cause phase separation [ 109 ]. Furthermore, the injection slug of the SP flooding process depends on the aim of the flooding process.…”

Section: Binary Combination Of Polymers and Other Additives For Eormentioning

confidence: 99%

Application of Polymers for Chemical Enhanced Oil Recovery: A Review

et al. 2022

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Polymers play a significant role in enhanced oil recovery (EOR) due to their viscoelastic properties and macromolecular structure. Herein, the mechanisms of the application of polymeric materials for enhanced oil recovery are elucidated. Subsequently, the polymer types used for EOR, namely synthetic polymers and natural polymers (biopolymers), and their properties are discussed. Moreover, the numerous applications for EOR such as polymer flooding, polymer foam flooding, alkali–polymer flooding, surfactant–polymer flooding, alkali–surfactant–polymer flooding, and polymeric nanofluid flooding are appraised and evaluated. Most of the polymers exhibit pseudoplastic behavior in the presence of shear forces. The biopolymers exhibit better salt tolerance and thermal stability but are susceptible to plugging and biodegradation. As for associative synthetic polyacrylamide, several complexities are involved in unlocking its full potential. Hence, hydrolyzed polyacrylamide remains the most coveted polymer for field application of polymer floods. Finally, alkali–surfactant–polymer flooding shows good efficiency at pilot and field scales, while a recently devised polymeric nanofluid shows good potential for field application of polymer flooding for EOR.

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Section: Binary Combination Of Polymers and Other Additives For Eormentioning

confidence: 99%

Application of Polymers for Chemical Enhanced Oil Recovery: A Review

et al. 2022

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“…In the presence of alkalis, the polymer acts as an agent to reduce the adsorption of surfactants due to the competition for adsorption sites between surfactant and polymer molecules. 22,23 On the other hand, alkalis and surfactants are used to reduce the IFT between the displacing and displaced fluids (i.e., water and oil). Alkalis also help reduce the adsorption of some types of surfactants and polymers by modifying the surface electrical charge of the reservoir rock.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Oil Recovery Performance by Surfactant Flooding: A Perspective on Multiscale Evaluation Methods

et al. 2022

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Chemical-enhanced oil recovery (cEOR) is a class of techniques commonly used to extract hydrocarbon fluids from reservoir rocks beyond conventional waterflooding. Surfactants are among the chemical agents employed in a cEOR process, as they aid in enhancing oil recovery by lowering the oil–water interfacial tension (IFT) and altering the rock wettability toward less oil-wet conditions. Understanding the flow characteristics and mechanisms involved during surfactant flooding helps improve the performance of injected surfactants and results in higher oil recovery. The objective of this review is to outline the recent applications of the different methods employed to understand the behavior and mechanisms involved during surfactant-enhanced oil recovery. The review begins with a general background highlighting the basic characteristics of surfactants and the main mechanisms by which they exert their influence. Recent studies conducted to investigate the oil recovery performance through different methods are then presented, including traditional coreflooding experiments, microfluidics studies, and oil recovery through sand packs. The methodology of the analysis and the interpretation of the data obtained from the different oil recovery tests, including oil recovery factor, pressure data, and relative permeability, are also described. Pore-scale analysis and imaging methods including nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and X-ray medical and microcomputed tomography (μCT) scanning and their applicability in assessing the recovery performance are described. Finally, a few examples of field monitoring methods for surfactant flooding are highlighted. This review provides knowledge of the different multiscale evaluation methods and their applicability during surfactant flooding.

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“…Despite recent development in alternative sources of energy, crude oil is still a major energy source [ 1 ]. About one third of the OOIP (original oil in place) can be obtained using primary and secondary oil recovery techniques [ 2 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Adsorption Study of Novel Gemini Cationic Surfactant in Carbonate Reservoir Cores—Influence of Critical Parameters

et al. 2022

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Surfactant flooding is an enhanced oil recovery method that recovers residual and capillary trapped oil by improving pore-scale displacement efficiency. Low retention of injected chemicals is desired to ensure an economic and cost-effective recovery process. This paper examines the adsorption behavior of a novel gemini cationic surfactant on carbonate cores. The rock cores were characterized using an X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectroscope. In addition, the influence of critical parameters on the dynamic adsorption of the cationic gemini surfactant was studied by injecting the surfactant solution through carbonate cores in a core flooding apparatus until an equilibrium state was achieved. The concentration of surfactant was observed using high performance liquid chromatography. Experimental results showed that an increasing surfactant concentration causes higher retention of the surfactant. Moreover, increasing the flow rate to 0.2 mL/min results in lowering the surfactant retention percentage to 17%. At typical high salinity and high temperature conditions, the cationic gemini surfactant demonstrated low retention (0.42 mg/g-rock) on an Indiana limestone core. This study extends the frontier of knowledge in gemini surfactant applications for enhanced oil recovery.

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A review of fluid displacement mechanisms in surfactant-based chemical enhanced oil recovery processes: Analyses of key influencing factors

Cited by 68 publications

References 232 publications

Application of Polymers for Chemical Enhanced Oil Recovery: A Review

Application of Polymers for Chemical Enhanced Oil Recovery: A Review

Oil Recovery Performance by Surfactant Flooding: A Perspective on Multiscale Evaluation Methods

Adsorption Study of Novel Gemini Cationic Surfactant in Carbonate Reservoir Cores—Influence of Critical Parameters

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