Comparative study of ultrasound assisted water and surfactant flooding

Abstract

Ultrasound technique is an economic advantageous and environmental friendly unconventional enhanced oil recovery (EOR)method that has been of great interest to researchers and reservoir engineers. The integration of ultrasound with water flooding and ultrasound with surfactant has been proven to be effective in increasing oil recovery by decreasing surfactant adsorption. Previous studies focused on the phase behaviour of surfactant-brine-oil to determine if ultrasonic with surfactant can actually decrease the rate of surfactant consumption. However, phase behaviour alone cannot answer this question. In this study therefore, the role of critical micelle concentration (CMC)in ultrasound assisted surfactant flooding, and the effect of surfactant concentration on oil recovery during ultrasound at different intensities were investigated. An unconsolidated sand-pack model placed inside an ultrasonic bath and ultrasonic radiation was used for this purpose. Ultrasound assisted water and surfactant flooding improve recovery up to 11% and 12% respectively. The formation of micro-emulsion (micelles)during surfactant flooding in the presence of ultrasonic wave was the most significant mechanism responsible for the increased recovery. Ultrasound vibration is more efficient at higher concentration of surfactant, preferably above CMC and at higher intensity of ultrasound.