A Review on Approach for Biosurfactants Enhance Oil Recovery Technology

Abstract

With oilfields enter the late stage of development, which is difficult to extract residual oil in the reservoirs. Microbial oil displacement is favored as an efficient and clean stimulation method. As an important mechanism of the technology, biosurfactants are being studied and applied. Differ from traditional synthetic surfactants, biosurfactants are more practical, economically valuable and environmentally friendly. This article describes the three action mechanisms of biosurfactants and introduces the current research status and technological achievements of glycolipids, lipopeptides, fatty acids, polymers, and phospholipids. Compare the advantages and limitations of each the above, introduce the field application method and effect, and prospect the future development direction of this technology and provide reasonable suggestions. The results show that biosurfactants have obvious advantages, which can change oil water interfacial tension, emulsify crude oil, and achieve wetting reversal, improving crude oil recovery rate. It has enormous development potential in oilfield production, further on-site testing is needed for technology in the future. It is necessary to enhance its compatibility in different types of formations, especially to achieve good results in special reservoirs. By controlling the oil displacement cost, it can achieve the goal of reducing costs, increasing efficiency, and further improving crude oil recovery.