Suitability study of locally sourced surfactants for chemical enhanced oil recovery

• Authors: Clinton Tochukwu Onyemerem , Dike Chukwuebuka , Anthony Kerunwa , Valentine Chukwuemeka Egeolu , Iheme Collins Onyekachi , Morenikeji Abidemi Ajayi , Ikechukwu Daberechi Iyk-Onumah
• Languages of publication: EN

Abstracts

EN

The need for this project is centred around economic issues encountered during production operations of oil and gas. The need to recover more oil after the reservoir’s natural energy is depleted lead to enhanced oil recovery methods. During enhanced oil recovery using surfactants, the cost of surfactants has also become as issue thus the need to use locally available materials to synthesize formulas good enough to replicate the work of these conventional surfactants. In this study, suitability evaluation was conducted on locally sourced surfactants for chemical enhanced oil recovery. The local materials were as follows: local bar soap (LBS), a blend of aloe vera extract and almond leave extract (AVALE) while sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS) was utilised as conventional surfactant. Fourier transform spectroscopy (FTIR), critical micelle concentration (CMC), adsorption tests and core flooding was carried out on both the local and conventional surfactants. From the result of the FTIR study, LBS, AVALE recorded similar functional groups with SLS. From the CMC tests, SLS and AVALE recorded its CMC at 0.5%wt while the LBS was at 0.75%wt. From the adsorption test results, AVALE recorded its best rate at 0.75%wt, LBS at 0.25%wt while SLS was at 0.75%wt. After core flooding, SLS the conventional surfactant returned as the best surfactant with a peak displacement efficiency of 64.29% while LBS returned as the best alternative at 62.5%. AVALE blend returned a displacement efficiency of 60%.

Keywords

EN

Adsorption Tests; Conventional Surfactants; Critical Micelle Concentration; FTIR; Surfactant; Surfactant Flooding

Discipline

• CHEMISTRY: CHEMISTRY

• Publisher: Scientific Publishing House „DARWIN”
• Journal: World News of Natural Sciences
• Year: 2025
• Volume: 59
• Pages: 122-141

Contributors

author

Clinton Tochukwu Onyemerem

• Department of Petroleum Engineering Technology, School of Engineering and Engineering Technology, Federal University of Technology Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria

author

Dike Chukwuebuka

• Department of Petroleum Engineering Technology, School of Engineering and Engineering Technology, Federal University of Technology Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria

author

Anthony Kerunwa

• Department of Petroleum Engineering Technology, School of Engineering and Engineering Technology, Federal University of Technology Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria

author

Valentine Chukwuemeka Egeolu

• Department of Petroleum Engineering Technology, School of Engineering and Engineering Technology, Federal University of Technology Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria

author

Iheme Collins Onyekachi

• School of Petroleum Engineering, Oil and Gas Engineering, China University of Petroleum, (East China), Qingdao City, Shandong Province, China

author

Morenikeji Abidemi Ajayi

• Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Federal University Oye Ekiti, Oye Ekiti, Nigeria

author

Ikechukwu Daberechi Iyk-Onumah

• Department of Biochemistry, College of Natural Sciences, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Nigeria

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• Document Type: article