Effect of surfactants on oil recovery in water-alternating-gas enhanced oil recovery: an investigation into important factors

Sullivan, Sean William David (2016) Effect of surfactants on oil recovery in water-alternating-gas enhanced oil recovery: an investigation into important factors. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

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Abstract

Enhanced oil recovery techniques are used after primary (pressure depletion) and secondary (waterflooding) technique to increase oil recovery. One method of enhanced oil recovery uses surfactants. Surfactants have the potential to increase oil recovery through interfacial tension reduction and the possibility of creating foam. This investigation focuses on the surfactant assisted water-alternating-gas technique in a glass micromodel, investigating factors such as water-alternating-gas ratio (1:1, 1:1.5, and 1:2), surfactant concentration (one times CMC, 5.5 times CMC, and ten times CMC), gas type (air and propane), and surfactant type (Triton X-100 and Iveysol 106), and observing responses of oil recovery, breakthrough time, and fluid flow. Oil recovery data suggested that individual effects of surfactant concentration and gas type, and interaction effects of WAG ratio-surfactant concentration, WAG ratio-gas type, WAG ratio-surfactant type, and gas type-surfactant type were significant. Breakthrough time data suggested that the individual effects of WAG ratio, gas type, and surfactant type were significant. Additional experiments investigating interfacial tension and viscosity showed that surfactant concentration reduced both interfacial tension and viscosity, with Triton X-100 having lower interfacial tension and viscosity than Iveysol 106.

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