Surfactants for Enhanced Oil Recovery

Introduction
EOR surfactant formulations are usually comprised of a primary surfactant and one or more co-surfactants
needed to meet the oil reservoirs specific conditions and achieve ultra-low IFTs. Sasol offers a wide range of
surfactants and co-surfactants for enhanced oil recovery (EOR), including surfactants for:

Low temperature (<60C) and low/medium salinity (<40,000 ppm of total dissolved solids)
Low temperature (<60C) and high salinity (>40,000 ppm of total dissolved solids)
High temperature (>60C) and low/medium salinity (<40,000 ppm of total dissolved solids)

Sasols surfactants can be used in applications such as:

ASP (Alkali-Surfactant-Polymer) or SP (Surfactant-Polymer) flooding

Wettability Alteration
SAGD (Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage)

Surfactants for low temperature and low/medium salinity

Sasol O&S offers a line of primary alcohol alkoxy sulfate surfactants (ALFOTERRA) that may be formulated
without any co-surfactant or co-solvent for low and moderate temperatures and salinities. The physical
properties important for enhancing oil recovery include:

Low use level: ultra-low oil-water interfacial tension (IFT, < 0.01 mN/m) at 0.1% to 0.5%
Can synergistically generate IFT values below 0.001mN/m when combined with alkali
Reduction of capillary pressure (Figure 1)
High oil solubilization (SP* >10) (Figure 2) and wettablility alteration
Available as high active (~85% wt) product to reduce transportation costs.

General structure of ALFOTERRA Surfactant

Figure 1: Reduction of Figure 2: Oil Solubilization

Capillary Pressure Variation (SP*) Due to Structure
Left: Alkali/ALFOTERRA/Polymer Left: ALFOTERRA 123-8S 90
Right: Polymer/Brine Right: ALFOTERRA 145-8S 90
Surfactants for low temperature (<60C) and high salinity (>40,000 ppm of total dissolved solids)
Sasol offers a variety of cosurfactants to aid with solubility issues that may arise when using alcohol propoxy
sulfates to recover oil from wells that have higher total dissolved solids (TDS) in the brine.

Solubility can be improved by blending with anionic or nonionic cosurfactants that contain ethylene
oxide (EO) adducts.
Ultra-low IFT can still be achieved by blending surfactants in the correct ratio to achieve the target
surfactant performance.

Surfactants for high temperature (>60C)

And low/medium salinity (<40,000 ppm of total dissolved solids)
To address the needs of high temperature wells, Sasol has options for primary surfactants and co-surfactants
to help in enhancing oil recovery. SOLOTERRA Surfactants contain a sulfonate group that is more stable at
higher temperatures. The SOLOTERRA Surfactant product line is composed of alkylbenzene sulfonates
(ABS), and can exhibit the following properties:

Low interfacial tension fluids when blended with nonionic co-surfactants and/or co-solvents.
High oil solubilization (SP*) achievable with large alkyl chains.

Alkyl Chain Aryl Ring Sulfonate

O

-
R S O M+

C11-C16+ O

General Structure of SOLOTERRA Surfactants

Custom made products

Sasols broad hydrophobe portfolio and processing capabilities allows for the possibility of customizing
surfactants for specific well conditions. Figure 3 shows just a few examples of the structures available
globally at Sasol.
C12/C14 linear C12/C13 FT oxo
C12 Guerbet

4-Methyl- 2-Butyl-
5,10-Dimethyl-
1-Dodecanol 1-Tetradecanol 1-Dodecanol 1-Octanol
1-Dodecanol 1-Undecanol

C12/C13 conv. oxo iso C13 oxo (tributene)

6-Methyl-3,5- 2-Propyl-7- 2,5,8-Trimethyl-

Diethyl-1-Octanol Methyl-1-Nonanol 1-Decanol
2-Methyl- 2-Butyl-
1-Dodecanol
1-Dodecanol 1-Nonanol

Figure 3: Examples of Sasols Hydrophobe Toolbox

 R&D and Technical Customer Service
Sasol O&S has a network of seven R&D facilities in five countries (USA, China, Italy, Germany, South Africa)
offering product development and screening facilities. Sasol R&D offers EOR screenings such as phase
behaviour, spinning drop interfacial tension (Figure 5), and sand pack studies. This enables us to
recommend the right surfactant choices out of our portfolio to speed up your evaluation process. In addition,
pilot facilities mirroring all our major production processes allow development and up-scaling of custom made
products.
1

NaOH ASP Formulation

0.2 wt% ALFOTERRA
Na2CO3 Surfactant,
1000 mg/L polymer, and
Minimum Dynamic IFT (mN/m)

0.1
various alkali
concentrations dissolved
in softened injection
0.01

0.001

0.0001

III III III II- II- II-

ppt
1E-05
0 0.25 0.5 0.75 1 1.25 1.5 1.75

Alkali Concentration (wt%)

Figure 5: Minimum Dynamic IFT Between Figure 6: Example of Pilot Facilities in Marl,
Heavy Crude Oil and Brine in an Germany
ALFOTERRA Surfactant ASP

For further information on these or other Sasol For technical inquiries or samples products,
contact a sales representative at: contact:

Sasol North America Sasol North America

641 Hollywood Dr. 2201 Old Spanish Trail
Severna Park, MD 21146 Westlake, LA 70669
P: (410)404-5970 P: (337)494-4157
E-Mail: Kim.Ferguson@us.sasol.com E-Mail: techinfo@us.sasol.com

This information is based on our present knowledge and experience. However, it

implies no liability or other legal responsibility on our part, including with regard
to existing third party patent rights. In particular, no guarantee of properties in the
legal sense is implied. We reserve the right to make any changes according to
technological progress or further developments. The customer is not released
from the obligation to conduct careful inspection and testing of incoming goods.
Reference to trade names used by other companies is neither a
recommendation, nor is it intended to suggest that similar products could not be
used. All our business transactions shall exclusively be governed by our General
Sales Conditions. ALFOTERRA is a registered trademark of Sasol.

Sasol Olefins & Surfactants GmbH Anckelmannsplatz 1, 20537 Hamburg

Telephone: +49 (0)40 63684-1000 Fax: +49 (0)40 63684-3700 info@de.sasol.com www.sasol.com
Geschftsfhrer: Fleetwood Rawstorne Grobler Sitz der Gesellschaft: Hamburg
Registergericht: Amtsgericht Hamburg HRB 78474