Journal of Petroleum & Environmental Biotechnology

Impact of low concentration surfactant on interfacial tension and water/oil relative permeability

2^nd International Conference and Expo on Oil and Gas

October 27-28, 2016 Rome, Italy

Perekaboere Ivy Sagbana

London Southbank University, UK

Posters & Accepted Abstracts: J Pet Environ Biotechnol

Abstract:

In this paper, experimental study of a surfactant formulation required for reduction of water/oil interfacial tension in three different permeability sandstones and the effect of a sulfate surfactant in imbibition process and oil recovery in core samples. Interaction between the surfactant and rock (adsorption) has also been examined. Measurement of critical micelle concentration, determination of water/oil interfacial tension using pendant drop method, phase behavior test was conducted to characterize surfactant by obtaining solubilization ratio and optimal salinity. Core-flooding experiment was done with and without surfactant to compare the effect of surfactant on water/oil relative permeability. Surfactant adsorption into the different core samples evaluated using UV spectrometry. Sendra software was used to history match differential pressure and oil recovery data to obtain relative permeability curves and end point saturations and to evaluate the effect of surfactants on fluid mobility. The Alcohol alkoxy sulfate surfactant was selected for the experiment as other surfactants did not give the required interfacial tension. From the phase behavior experiment, type III microemulsion phase is formed which is not viscous. Solubilisation of 10 was obtained at 4.5% salinity which is close the brine salinity used for injection. Water/oil interfacial tension was reduced from 17dynes/cm to 0.01dynes/cm. Oil recovery from imbibition process when surfactant was introduced increased by 22%. After history matching production and pressure data with Sendra software, relative permeability to oil increased and there was a decrease in residual oil saturation. The connate water saturation was not affected by the use of surfactant. During the experiment it was observed that water breakthrough was delayed when surfactant was introduced into the injection brine during imbibition. Low concentration surfactant introduced into injection water can increase the imbibition rate and oil recovery in both high and low permeability sandstone.

Biography :

Email: sagbanap@lsbu.ac.uk