Application of Non Ionic Surfactant – Alkylpolyglucoside as Chemical Flooding

Abstract

Alkylpolyglucosides (APG) is an environment-friendly surfactant prepared from renewable raw materials namely glucose and fatty alcohol in catalysis system of p-Toluenesulfonic acid. This surfactant is nonionic surfactant which has not effect on hard water and pH changes, thus makes it potential to be used as a chemical flooding surfactant. APG was prepared by using fatty alcohol varying in chain length from 1-dodecanol (C12) and 1-tetradecanol (C14). This paper discusses the effect of alkyl chain length of APG as hydrofobic side to their physical properties such as interfacial tension, and capability as chemical flooding surfactant for oil recovery in capillary pressure test. As results, it is shown that at the same concentration, APG with 1-tetradecanol (APG-C14) as a chain length has lower interfacial tension than APG-C12, having critical micelle concentration of 3 %. Both surfactant then were tested for Jirak field oil recovery in capillary presure test. It reveals that the increase of alkyl chain length of APG causes an increase in oil recovery (%), 13.797 % of APG-C14 and 10.733% of APG-C12. To conclude, APG with long alkyl chain length potentially become chemical flooding surfactant for oil recovery.