Objective
To evaluate various families of commercial surfactants and to synthesize completely new molecules able to form stable micellar solutions in high-salinity reservoir environment where enhanced oil recovery by chemical flooding should be carried out.
Several families of commercial surfactants were tested.
new families of sulfonated aliphatic alcohols, alkan-sulfonates and hydroxyalkansulfonates were sintesized. The phase diagrams of all these chemicals in mixture with oils of various EACN, brines, and cosurfactants were determined. Microemulsion viscosity maps were also determined. Hydroxypropyl; carboxymethyl; hydroxypropyl -carboxymethyl derivatives of guar gum were sinthesized and tested as water thickeners. flooding tests at reservoir conditions were run on sandpacks; oil recovery, surfactant and polymer absorption were measured. A compositional 2D micellar/ polymer streamline reservoir simulator was developed and tested.
Problems arose in phase behaviour simulation when in presence of very high salinity brines. Although none of the surfactants and polymers tested proved to be economically viable for EOR processes, the experience gained will be helpful in designing new projects.
Commercial surfactants and polymers (for mobility control of the micellar solution) and new surfactant and polymer molecules synthesized specially for the purpose of this research will be screened. They will be tested through standard lab procedures and by sand-pack oil displacement tests at reservoir conditions. Simulation of the process by numerical model will also be performed.
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DEM - Demonstration contractsCoordinator
20097 S. Donato Milanese (MILANO)
Italy