Sulfonation Reaction for the Synthesis of Anionic Surfactants for Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) Application

Enhance oil recovery (EOR) is performed in the tertiary stage in oil production. One
of the preferred methods for EOR application is chemical flooding using surfactants.
The two main principles of EOR are to reduce the mobility ratio and increase the
capillary number. Anionic surfactants is widely used in detergents product because
of it capability to reduce the surface tension between oil and water. The amount of
surfactants adsorption can be minimized as the result of repulsion between anionic
surfactants and sandstone. Anionic surfactants are produced by attaching SO3 to fatty
alcohols increase the performance of the surfactants. Sodium bisulfite is reacted
together with methalyl chloride and fatty alcohols to produce anionic surfactants
sulfonate. The kinetics of the sulfonation reaction process and the factors that can
optimize the yield of sulfonate products are now being investigated and reported.