Recovery of the crude oil is a complex process requiring optimization of the fluid flows in microporous media of the oil-bearing rock located deep underground and at high-temperature, -pressure and -saline brine conditions. Improving efficiency of the oil recovery could be aided through various methods as well as injection of chemicals, including CO2 to preferentially alter capillary numbers and thus produce more oil while also allow sequestration of CO2. Chemicals allow modification of rheological properties of injectants and require optimizations based on the conditions present in subsurface (e.g. rock mineralogy, brine salinity, temperature and pressure). Cost is among significant aspects when it comes to what and how much of the added chemical would be effective. This work demonstrates development of one of the lowest cost petroleum sulfonate surfactants into high-temperature high-salinity stable formulations, including important understandings made starting from the bench scale research phase and up-to competitive product in the industrial application. Progresses made in the novel methods to aid with rapid and more informative development of chemicals for subsurface applications including those involving CO2 storage and utilization will also be demonstrated.

Development of the low-cost chemicals and more informative methods for improved efficiencies in oil and gas industry

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ACS Spring 2023

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.