EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION OF SURFACTANT PARTITIONING AND ADSORPTION USING TAPIS CRUDE OIL

Investigating the use of surfactants in high temperature and high salinity conditions can assist expanding their application in Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) to more challenging environments. In the present work, compatibility and thermal stability for alkyl ether carboxylate (AEC), alkylpolyglucoside (APG), and alpha olefin sulfonate (AOS) were investigated at anaerobic conditions to select the most suitable surfactant formulation that passes the screening criteria of Tapis field. Surface tension (ST), interfacial tension (IFT), partitioning and adsorption of the selected surfactant formulation were then studied at different reservoir conditions. The partitioning and adsorption behaviours of the AEC:APG mixture were comprehensively examined under various conditions of surfactant concentrations, brine/oil ratios, temperatures, pH and salinities.