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This study investigates the use of electrokinetic methods combined with a specially designed cationic gemini surfactant to improve oil recovery from sandstone and carbonate reservoirs. The researchers examined how electrical fields enhance the surfactant's ability to mobilize trapped oil by altering interfacial properties and wettability in different rock types. Results demonstrate that the electrokinetic-surfactant combination significantly increases oil displacement efficiency compared to conventional surfactant flooding alone, with distinct mechanisms operating in sandstone versus carbonate formations.
Why it matters
This research offers a potential advancement in enhanced oil recovery techniques that could help extract more petroleum from existing reservoirs with improved efficiency. The dual-mechanism approach addresses challenges in both major reservoir rock types, which could have significant economic implications for the petroleum industry and energy security.
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