Evaluating rheological properties and recovery performance of polymeric anionic surfactant (PSURFC) synthesized from non-edible seed oil on heavy crude recovery

This research focuses on heavy crude recovery using the dual recovery process of macromolecules formulated from environmentally friendly seed oil and polymer (Xanthan gum) with both hydrophobic and hydrophilic properties. The inexpensive, non-toxic polymeric surfactant (PSURFC) is synthesized through free radical polymerization technique involving novel non-edible seed oil surfactant and xanthan gum. Rheology shows a shear-thinning behavior at room temperature indicates an improvement in the rheology on surfactant addition to the mixture. As a macromolecule, PSURFC combines dual oil recovery nature in a single component thereby influencing interfacial tension (IFT) and mobility ratio simultaneously. Its performance during enhanced oil recovery (EOR) was evaluated through core flooding, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), IFT and rheology. EOR was conducted using OFITE (R)'s reservoir permeability tester (RPT) as the core flooding apparatus on five set of Berea sandstone core samples. Its implementation in EOR improved oil recovery when compared with water flooding, surfactant and polymer flooding. Sequel to the conventional water flooding, efficiency of PSURFC gave additional recoveries of 54%, 60% and 70% of the initial oil in place. This result validates the ability of polymeric surfactant to effectively mobilize residual oil under typical sandstone reservoir conditions.