Abstract:

At low concentration (0.4%), in the present of n-butanol, alkanes and brine, petroleum sulfonate (SPS) which has wide range of molecular weight, can form middle phase microemulsion. Using salinity, n-butanol scanning and interfacial tension, we investigated the influence of salinity, n-butanol and kind of alkane on the formation and characteristics of the middle Phase microemulsion of 0.4% SPS/ n-butanol/NaCl/alkane system at V_oil/ V_water=1: 4. Using mimic oil recovery, we investigated the influence of salinity on oil recovery efficiency. It showed in this study that the maximum oil recovery efficiency was connected with optimal salinity and optimal interfacial tension. The results are of particular importance to design slug formation.

Key words: Petroleum sulfonate, Microemlsion, Interfacial tension, Oil recovery efficiency