INFLUENCE OF SURFACTANTS ON ENHANCED OIL RECOVERY (EOR) IN OFFSHORE FLUID PROCESSING: IMPACTS AND STRATEGIES TO MITIGATION

Abstract

Oil recovery from reservoirs remains a significant challenge, as only 20% to 33% of the original oil in place is typically extracted during the conventional recovery process. To improve efficiency, Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) technologies are employed. These processes include methods such as surfactant injection, which can boost recovery by up to 30%, and the injection of greenhouse gases like CO₂ and CH₄, which can help reduce carbon emissions. Following the injected water breakthrough, the presence of surfactants in the produced water can impair separation efficiency significantly by enhancing emulsion stability and overloading the limited processing capabilities of offshore treatment facilities. To overcome these challenges, it is necessary to develop innovative technological solutions, including the use of new chemicals, promoting improvements in treatment processes, and implementing integrated project management strategies that include both the reservoir and primary processing areas. The primary objective of this experimental study is to generate empirical data to optimize the design of processing facilities capable of treating produced fluids containing residual EOR surfactants efficiently. The work focuses on EOR foaming surfactant cocoamidopropyl hydroxysultaine (CAHS), which is scheduled for use in an upcoming Foam-Assisted Water Alternating Gas (FAWAG) EOR project.