Study the Effect of Alkaline and Surfactants on Improving Iraqi Crude Oil Recovery

Abstract

This research aims to study the effect of using alkaline (caustic) and surfactant materials to improve the recovery of Iraqi crude oil under laboratory conditions.

Flooding tests were carried out by using solutions of two alkalines (NaOH, Na₂CO₃) and two anionic surfactants materials were prepared at three concentrations ( 0.5%, 1%,  2 % )  using  sand  packs with ( 8.5 cm )  length  and   ( 6.5 cm ) diameter, which is saturated with tap water and then saturated with Basrah crude oil of 40 API^o density and 39.5 cp viscosity. The results were compared with the results of flooding tests by tap water and  2wt% brine water.

In tests that tap water and 2wt% brine water were used as a primary recovery a secondary recovery had been tested by using materials that gave highest recovery, the results showed an increase in the recovery and the highest value was 50% by using 0.5% surfactant no.2. 

The research showed different effects of these solutions. In general, alkalines type showed an increase in recovery factor vs. concentration, but surfactant type showed decrease in the recovery factor vs. concentration. Also, the results showed that the recovery by using surfactant no.2 were the best respective to other materials, and the highest recovery obtained was 90.9 at 0.5%.