CHEMICAL INTERACTIONS IN MICELLAR/POLYMER FLOODING SYSTEMS.

In micellar flooding systems, chemical interactions at various interfaces play a governing role in the displacement of oil through porous media. Since such interactions can significantly influence the loss of surfactants owing to precipitation, adsorption, etc. , it is important to understand the mechanisms involved and to identify conditions that would minimize surfactant loss from the slug. In this study, precipitation behavior of long-chain sulfonates with various mono- and multivalent inorganics, alcohols, and polymers has been investigated with the aim of establishing the molecular mechanisms responsible for the system behavior.