S. Nandwani, N. Malek, M. Chakraborty
Dec 20, 2018
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0
Influential Citations
16
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Journal
Energy & Fuels
Abstract
In the present study, a chemical formulation containing a surface-active ionic liquid (SAIL; tributylhexadecylphosphonium bromide) and a nonionic surfactant (TERGITOL 15-S-9) has been prepared. The composition of the mixed micelle and the interaction parameter between the SAIL and nonionic surfactant at varying concentrations were evaluated by Rubingh theory. The most optimal formulation was then screened through phase behavior tests to determine optimal salinity for the crude/brine/chemical formulation system. The optimal salinity for the oil/water/surfactant system was found to be as high as 9.28 wt %. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) studies and small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) experiments have been performed to provide further insight into the size and structure of the micelles formed by the SAIL and nonionic surfactant, respectively. Traditional laboratory-scale oil displacement experiments were performed to study the effectiveness of the optimized chemical formulation in recovering oil during the...