Laboratory Study of Alkyl Ether Sulfonates for Improved Oil Recovery in High-Salinity Carbonate Reservoirs: A Case Study

Yibal oil reservoir, a fractured carbonate formation located in the north of Oman and characterized by high salinity brine and high temperatures, is a potential candidate for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) projects. This experimental study focused on the possibility to use surfactant injection as an EOR process in the Yiabl field. On the basis of the results from our previous investigations, ethoxylated sulfonates and amphoteric surfactants were used in this study. Selected surfactants showed a great tolerance to high salinity and temperatures. All surfactant systems displayed dynamic interfacial tension (IFT) behavior, in which transient ultra-low IFTs were detected. Dilute surfactant solutions (0.1 wt %) were considered for core-flooding tests on limestone plugs. In one set of experiments, surfactant solutions were injected into a fully water-flooded core (surfactant tertiary recovery). In another set, surfactant solutions were injected without pre-water-flooding (surfactant-modified water-flooding or surf...