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Ionic surfactants applied in enhanced oil recovery: adsorption, imbibition, and zeta potential approaches

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Abstract

This work examines the capacity of ionic surfactants to be adsorbed onto limestone. It also analyzes their effects on enhanced oil recovery. The finite bath method was carried out with two surfactants, an anionic saponified coconut oil (SCO) and the cationic cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). Imbibition assays were performed in the oil recovery analysis. The effects of the surfactant solution pH on the adsorption on limestone were also assessed by means of zeta potential measurements. Results demonstrate that SCO was highly adsorbed on the rock. The adsorption of CTAB molecules was lower than that of SCO molecules, leaving free CTAB molecules in the solution. As a result, CTAB molecules acted in the reduction of interfacial tension inside the porous medium. Interestingly, zeta potential data of SCO solutions also confirmed that electrostatic interactions play an important role in the adsorption of surfactants on the rock.

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Abbreviations

C 0 :

Initial surfactant concentration (mg mL−1)

C e :

Concentration of surfactant in the filtrate (mg mL−1)

KF :

Empirical constants indicating adsorption capacity

KL :

Equilibrium constant (mL mg−1)

m :

Mass of adsorbent (g)

n:

Empirical constants which indicate the intensity of the adsorption energy

q :

Adsorption capacity (mg g−1)

qm :

Adsorption capacity (mg g−1)

RR:

Total oil recovery rate (%)

V :

Solution volume (mL)

Vooip :

Volume of original oil in place (mL)

Vor :

Volume of residual oil (mL)

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank CNPq (Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico) for the financial support provided.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Petroleum Engineering, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, CEP 59072-970, Brazil

    Allan M. Neves, Vanessa C. Santanna & Jennys L. M. Barillas

  2. Department of Chemical Engineering, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, CEP 59072-970, Brazil

    Tereza N. Castro Dantas & Alisson G. B. Góis

Authors
  1. Allan M. Neves
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  2. Vanessa C. Santanna
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  3. Jennys L. M. Barillas
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  4. Tereza N. Castro Dantas
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  5. Alisson G. B. Góis
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Correspondence to Vanessa C. Santanna.

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Neves, A.M., Santanna, V.C., Barillas, J.L.M. et al. Ionic surfactants applied in enhanced oil recovery: adsorption, imbibition, and zeta potential approaches. Braz. J. Chem. Eng. 37, 263–269 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s43153-020-00020-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s43153-020-00020-2

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