USE OF ETHOXYLATED ALCOHOLS WITH ANIONIC SURFACTANTS FOR ENHANCED RECOVERY

Abstract

The article is devoted to the development of surfactant compositions, including a number of known anionic surfactants, in formulations with new types of nonionic surfactants - fatty alcohols with an increased degree of ethoxylation. The solubilizing properties of new types of fatty ethoxylated alcohols have been exploited during formulation development. A conductometric method was used to control the assembly of the formulations. After evaluating the stability of the resulting compositions, physicochemical properties were evaluated, including thermal stability and corrosiveness. The freezing point of the compositions was evaluated at temperatures down to minus 40 °C. The search for stable compositions was carried out for aggressive application conditions: at 90 ° C for models of mineralized formation waters having a total amount of dissolved salts in the range of 100-300 g/l. Ranges including critical concentrations of formulations at which colloidal structures are stable and exhibit maximum surface activity were evaluated. When determining the interfacial tension at the surfactant-hydrocarbon liquid solution boundary, a number of developed compositions showed ultra-low interfacial tension (less than 0.01 mN/m). Biodegradability was evaluated for compositions showing the best properties. According to the results of the assessment, biodegradability was more than 98 %, which reduces environmental risks. The results obtained by the authors show that a number of compositions collected by conductometric method are stable under aggressive conditions and can be used in the field of chemical methods for increasing oil recovery. The resulting compositions were adapted to reduce human factors in subsequent applications. The results reflect the potential of these approaches in adapting and selecting surfactant compositions for chemical waterflooding to enhance oil recovery. The development of technologies for the ethoxylation of higher fatty alcohols allows the manufacturability of processes for the production, collection and treatment of oil and gas. The development of practices for the use of new chemical technologies will expand the capabilities of subsoil users and reduce the risks associated with the use of large-scale chemical products.