Micellar flooding is an enhanced oil recovery technique that involves injecting surfactant solutions into a reservoir to reduce interfacial tension between oil and water, thereby improving oil displacement efficiency. This method can significantly increase the amount of oil extracted from a reservoir, especially in cases where conventional water flooding is ineffective.

Micellar Flooding

Enhanced oil recovery (EOR) refers to techniques used to increase the amount of crude oil that can be extracted from an oil field, typically after primary and secondary recovery methods have been exhausted. These methods are crucial for maximizing extraction efficiency and extending the productive life of oil reservoirs, often involving the injection of substances like water, gas, or chemicals to alter the physical and chemical properties of the oil and reservoir rock.

Enhanced Oil Recovery

Surfactant solutions

Interfacial tension is the force per unit length existing at the interface between two immiscible phases, such as liquid-liquid or liquid-gas, and is crucial in determining the stability and behavior of emulsions and foams. It arises due to the imbalance of molecular forces at the interface, influencing phenomena like wetting, spreading, and capillary action.

Interfacial Tension

Oil displacement efficiency refers to the effectiveness with which injected fluids, such as water or gas, can displace oil from a reservoir during enhanced oil recovery processes. It is crucial for maximizing oil extraction and is influenced by factors such as reservoir properties, fluid characteristics, and injection strategies.

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