The Influence of the Concentration of Palm-Based MES Surfactant with 96% Ethanol Additive on Aqueous Ability and Phase Behavior in 39-degree API Crude Oil Muhammad Faiz1, Rini Setiati2*, Havidh Pramadika1, Muhammad Taufiq Fathaddin2, Berkah Hani3
1Departement of Petroleum Engineering, Universitas Trisakti, Jakarta, Indonesia
2Master Program of Petroleum Engineering, Universitas Trisakti, Jakarta, Indonesia
3Department of Petroleum Engineering, Universitas Tanri Abeng, Jakarta, Indonesia
This study examines Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) via surfactant flooding, specifically using plant-derived Methyl Ester Sulfonate (MES) surfactant from palm oil. It assesses MES surfactant^s impact on aqueous ability and phase behavior in a 39-degree API crude oil reservoir. In this study, varied surfactant concentrations, supplemented with 96% ethanol as a co-surfactant (ranging from 0.5% to 2%), underwent stability tests. These involved heating the solutions in test tubes at 60 degree Celsius for 2 weeks. Phase behavior tests combine palm-based MES surfactant and crude oil at equal volume ratios, forming an emulsion. The emulsion^s condition was observed over 3 weeks in an oven. The research results show clear and homogeneous MES surfactant solutions. The Phase Behavior test produced a stable middle-phase microemulsion at a 25.75% volume, maintained with a 2% MES surfactant concentration and 2% co-surfactant concentration. In contrast, the previous study without co-surfactant only yielded an upper-phase emulsion. From these results, it can be concluded that the addition of co-surfactant can transform upper-phase emulsion into middle-phase emulsion. In this study, palm-based MES surfactant can be used as a surfactant injection fluid, with a composition of 2% MES surfactant and 2% co-surfactant, resulting in a middle-phase microemulsion of 25.75%.
