Abstract
This work addresses the characterisation of crude oil to examine opportunities for chemical enhanced oil recovery. Interfacial tension (IFT) studies were conducted for alkalis (NaOH and Na2CO3), surfactants (cetyltrimethylammonium bromide and sodium dodecyl sulphate), and their combinations. IFT studies revealed that the optimum concentrations of individual alkalis, NaOH and Na2CO3 are 0.1 wt%, 0.25 wt% for which IFT values of 5.15 × 10‒2 and 0.40 mN/m have been obtained respectively. For synergy of alkali-surfactant, the complex IFT behaviour indicated values in the range of 10‒2 mN/m. Emulsification and sandpack flooding studies affirmed that alkali and alkali-surfactant flooding can provide 24.25% and 38.79% residual oil recovery, respectively. [Received: August 20, 2017; Accepted: December 24, 2017]
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