novel polymeric surfactant as surface modification agent for improved residual oil recovery

A novel approach to address residual oil removal focuses on manipulating the interaction between oil and solid surfaces’ interfacial wettability. this innovation offers a fresh perspective to effectively tackle this issue. by transforming rock surfaces into a highly hydrophilic state, substantial enhancements in oil film detachment efficiency can be achieved. however, conventional anionic surfactants can only transition oil-wet rock surfaces to a mildly hydrophilic state. therefore, the development of innovative surfactants with advanced interfacial wettability control becomes crucial for effective residual oil management. this study introduces the development of a novel polymeric surfactant, aevf-s. this distinctiveness of aevf-s lies in incorporating negatively charged polar groups, significantly boosting its adsorption onto oil-wet rock surfaces. this unique feature enhances hydrophilicity in the exposed head groups, resulting in the surfactant’s exceptional capability to modify surface wettability. aevf-s’s interaction with submerged oil is particularly noteworthy. this interaction triggers a transformative shift in the surface properties of oil-wet rock, rendering it strongly hydrophilic and oleophobic. the substantial reduction of the contact angle of the oil underwater environment from 147.3° to 99.8° underscores aevf-s’s superiority over most previously reported surfactants. aevf-s’s efficacy extends to oil film removal. under simulated reservoir conditions, it effectively peels off about 97.3% of the oil film in just 6 hours. additionally, in dynamic core displacement experiments, aevf-s enhances the oil recovery ratio by an impressive 21.11% compared to simulated water flooding. these results highlight aevf-s’s potential as a catalyst for efficient residual oil development.