Optimal Injection Strategies for the Propagation of Surfactant Mixtures Through Porous Media

Abstract

Abstract The chromatographic movement of surfactant mixtures through porous media is examined to determine possible injection strategies for minimizing the amount of surfactant required in a tertiary oil recovery chemical flood. The model used does not consider the presence of oil but does account for mixed micelle formation. Expressions are derived that represent the surfactant required to expose an entire reservoir to an "effective oil recovery mixture." This effective mixture may be either one whose overall composition is within prescribed limits of the composition of the injected surfactant solution or it may be a mixture whose overall composition varies but which contains micelles of fixed composition. Mixtures considered contain cosolvents and one, two, or three surfactant components. Initial calculations neglect dispersion, but numerical calculations including dispersion leave the conclusion unchanged; within the limitations of the model, there are optimal strategies for the propagation of surfactant mixtures through porous media. The optimal injection strategy varies, depending on the nature of the surfactant solution injected into the porous medium. Conditions for and the location of the optimum are discussed. Conclusions based on observations about these systems then are extended to cover the injection of surfactant mixtures currently available commercially.