Successfully Synthesis Natural Based Surfactant Derived from Palm Oil in High Salinity Environments to Improve High Incremental Oil Recovery

Abstract The synthesis of nonionic surfactants was successfully achieved by combining hydrophobic units derived from palm oil with hydrophilic units in the form of polyethylene glycol (PEG) through etherification reactions, utilizing the phase transfers catalyst methods. This approach yielded PEG fatty acid ether with high conversion efficiency, making them highly suitable as chemical Enhanced Oil Recovery (cEOR). Surfactants are effectively capable of reducing interfacial tension into ultra-low levels, as well as in achieving wettability alteration. Optimization of the surfactant-polymer (SP) formulations focused on minimizing surfactant adsorption on high-salinity reservoir rocks by adding adsorption inhibitors (AI), which improved the performance The performance of surfactants, both as individual components and in mixtures, was comparatively evaluated for its promising potential under relatively low temperature (60°C) and high salinity (18,000 ppm) conditions. The methods encompassed a series of rigorous tests, including fluid-to-fluid screening, specifically interfacial tension (IFT) and phase behavior analysis, which served as critical performance indicators. Additionally, adsorption and coreflood optimization studies were conducted to assess the surfactants' efficacy and suitability under these conditions. The impact of adding adsorption inhibitors (AIs) on IFT for surfactants was investigated at different concentration variations and achieved an optimum IFT value of 10-03 dyne/cm. From the phase behavior aspect, the overall formula designs resulted in the formation of Windsor Type III. The addition of AI in the polymer slug demonstrated a reduction in adsorption through desorption mechanisms, meeting the required maximum threshold value of 400 µg/g. Surfactant flooding experiments using standard core achieved maximum incremental oil recovery of > 75% ROIP with certain design slugs. Additionally, pore volume (PV) optimization was further conducted using the best formula of SP, which the sensitivity of incremental oil recovery to a reduced injection volume of 0.3 PV.