Alkaline/Surfactant/Polymer (ASP) Flooding

Abstract

This is a review article on the subject of combining tertiary oil recovery methods like alkaline, surfactant and polymer flooding in order to achieve the synergetic effect out of the different impacts which are caused by these chemicals, affect oil and water filtration in the reservoir and increase oil recovery. In the article the main theoretical concepts of EOR (enhanced oil recovery) are summarized, mechanism of alkaline, surfactant and polymer flooding technologies are explained referring to the research works which had strong contribution to the development of the tertiary oil recovery methods. Formulation of alkaline/surfactant/polymer (ASP) chemical formula for EOR is discussed as well. Importance of numerical simulation and core flood laboratory experiments for the successful implementation of ASP technologies explained in the paper. Finally several examples of ASP flooding applications throughout the world projects are presented.