New Uses for Old Surfactants in Oilfield Applications

New Uses for Old Surfactants in Oilfield Applications

Dr. Luis Salazar

Correspondence: Dr. Luis Salazar, Indorama Ventures, 8401 New Trails Dr., Ste. 150, The Woodlands, TX 77381. Email: Luis.Salazar@us.indorama.net

ABSTRACT:

The world’s unsatiable appetite for more oil drives the never-ending need for innovative solutions to production dilemmas.  Surfactants play a major role in solving many of these problems.  However, there is a tendency to want to develop new molecules every time a new problem arises.  Though the new surfactants may offer elegant solutions, there may be many hurdles in introducing a new product:  environmental registration, lack of manufacturing capability, expensive raw materials, and high costs.  The use of existing commercial products avoids these pitfalls and can provide cost effective solutions to modern oilfield problems. 

This presentation covers three applications where existing surfactants were the preferred choice in new oilfield applications.  The first example exams Nonyl Phenol Ethoxylates that are soluble in Super Critical CO2 for use as foamers in CO2 Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR).  The second example looks at Nonionic Alkyl Ethoxylates also for CO2 EOR but in a Surfactant Alternate Gas application.  Results from the field trial are discussed.  The third example looks at Alkylbenzene Sulfonates for use as Flowback Aids in the Fracking of unconventional reservoirs. 

In a summary, there are many advantages to using of existing, commercial surfactants to solve modern problems in oilfield applications.  Three examples are provided to illustrate the point.