Progress in research of sulfobetaine surfactants used in tertiary oil recovery

Abstract

The synthesis of sulfobetaine surfactants and their application in tertiary oil recovery (TOR) are summarized in this paper. The synthesis of sulfobetaine surfactants was classified into three categories of single hydrophobic chain sulfobetaine surfactants, double hydrophobic chain sulfobetaine surfactants and Gemini sulfobetaine surfactants for review. Their application in TOR was classified into surfactant flooding, microemulsion flooding, surfactant/polymer (SP) flooding and foam flooding for review. The sulfonated betaine surfactants have good temperature resistance and salt tolerance, low critical micelle concentration (cmc) and surface tension corresponding to critical micelle concentration (γcmc), good foaming properties and wettability, low absorption, ultralow interfacial tension of oil/water, and excellent compatibility with other surfactants and polymers. Sulfobetaine surfactants with ethoxyl structures, hydroxyl and unsaturated bonds, and Gemini sulfobetaine surfactants will become an important direction for tertiary oil recovery because they have better interfacial activity in high‐temperature (≥90°C) and high‐salinity (≥104 mg/L) reservoirs. Some problems existing in the synthesis and practical application were also reviewed.

Review on High-Temperature-Resistant Viscoelastic Surfactant Fracturing Fluids: State-of-the-Art and Perspectives

“…In almost all pH ranges, the sulfobetaine-type zwitterionic surfactants do not accept or release protons . Because of the connection between the carbon atom and the sulfur atom on the sulfonic acid group, , the sulfobetaine zwitterionic surfactants are more resistant to the high-salt environment. , For example, EDAS can self-assemble into WLMs, and salinity has little effect on the EDAS solution …”