Screening of Chemicals to Enhance Oil Recovery in a Mature Sandstone Oilfield in Kazakhstan: Overcoming Challenges of High Residual Oil

Chemical flooding, such as alkaline-surfactant (AS) or nanoparticles-surfactant (NS) is an enhanced oil recovery (EOR) technique that has been increasingly utilized to enhance the production rate and factor while reducing chemical adsorption. The AS/NS flooding process involves injection of a mixture surfactant alkali/nanoparticles solutions into reservoir reduce interfacial tension between water phases by lower adsorption alkali nanoparticles (NPs) improve residual recovery. In this study, evaluated for Kazakhstani oilfield systematically screening constituents involved. Field A in Kazakhstan, one oldest fields country, waterflooded decades not produced even 50% original place (OOIP). Currently, cut field more than 90%, with high saturation. Therefore, besides polymer control mobility, EOR proposed tertiary method mobilize oil. This study aimed screen chemicals, including surfactant, alkali, NPs, design effective program target field. focused on conducting laboratory experiments identify most further optimize its performance suitable alkaline NPs based their compatibility, stability, behavior under conditions. screened chemicals porous media was analyzed set coreflood experiments. findings indicated agents, particularly sodium carbonate, positively affected 9–21%. combination found, which gave Winsor type III microemulsion lowest (IFT) 0.2 mN/m. tests were conducted NPs. Both AS NS demonstrated production. However, performed better incremental 5% higher standalone 9% flooding. results helped designing efficient formulation remaining from A. can be used projects similar