A Surfactant for Enhanced Heavy Oil Recovery in Carbonate Reservoirs in High-Salinity and High-Temperature Conditions

Characterized Functional Groups of Temperature- and Salt-Resistant Copolymers and Surfactants and Their Relationships

As the physical properties of newly discovered oil and gas reservoirs become more complex and the requirements for field development effectiveness continue to increase, the performance of polymers and surfactants, which are commonly used as chemical agents in oil field development, is facing great challenges. The determinations of temperature and salt resistance of anti-temperature and anti-salt viscosity-enhancing copolymers and low-interfacial-tension surfactants in recent years have been reviewed. The mechanism of temperature and salt resistance of distinct functional groups was discussed, and the common functional groups of temperature- and salt-resistant viscosity-increasing copolymers and temperature- and salt-resistant low-interfacial-tension surfactants were pointed out. An outlook on the molecular structure design of a new temperature- and salt-resistant oil displacement agent is presented.

Atomistic Insights into the Droplet Size Evolution during Self-Microemulsification

Microemulsions have been attracting great attention for their importance in various fields, including nanomaterial fabrication, food industry, drug delivery, and enhanced oil recovery. Atomistic insights into the self-microemulsifying process and the underlying mechanisms are crucial for the design and tuning of the size of microemulsion droplets toward applications. In this work, coarse-grained models were used to investigate the role that droplet sizes played in the preliminary self-microemulsifying process. Time evolution of liquid mixtures consisting of several hundreds of water/surfactant/oil droplets was resolved in large-scale simulations. By monitoring the size variation of the microemulsion droplets in the self-microemulsifying process, the dynamics of diameter distribution of water/surfactant/oil droplets were studied. The underlying mass transport mechanisms responsible for droplet size evolution and stability were elucidated. Specifically, temperature effects on the droplet size were clarified. This work provides the knowledge of the self-microemulsification of water-in-oil microemulsions at the nanoscale. The results are expected to serve as guidelines for practical strategies for preparing a microemulsion system with desirable droplet sizes and properties.