ECO-FRIENDLY SYNTHESIS OF OLEYL ALCOHOL BASED SURFACTANTS AND ITS APPLICATION FOR ENHANCED OIL RECOVERY

• Main Author: Liana Dewi, Efri
• Format: Final Project
• Language: Indonesia
• Subjects: Kimia
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/67501
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

Surfactants are active substances that can reduce interfacial tension and can be one of the solutions to enhanced oil recovery (EOR). EOR surfactants have to meet the requirements and pass tests such as interfacial tension test, compatibility test, phase behavior test, thermal stability test, and imbibition test. Therefore, there are still few fields that implement the surfactant injection method, research related to surfactant injection to enhanced oil recovery in Indonesia is interesting to study. In general, commercial surfactants are produced from raw materials from the petrochemical industry and through processes that produce waste that is detrimental to the environment. This research aims to produce surfactants from renewable raw materials from palm oil and eco-friendly synthetic processes. In this research, the synthesized surfactant is an oleyl alcohol-based surfactant originating from the oleochemical industry. Oleyl glyceryl ether sulfonate was synthesized using epichlorohydrin reacted with alcohol under alkaline conditions. From the reaction between epichlorohydrin and alkyl alcohol, oleyl glyceryl ether (OGE) is formed which can then be sulfonated with a reagent in the form of a mixture of sodium sulfite and sodium bisulfite to form oleyl glyceryl ether sulfonate. Oleyl glyceryl ether can also be converted to oleyl glyceryl ether poly ethylene glycol by adding polyethylene glycol. All reactions were monitored by thin layer chromatography and the results were tested by NMR spectroscopy. When compared to surfactants that have shorter hydrophobic groups, OGES and OGEP have a better ability to reduce interfacial tension at concentrations of 0,5% w/w and 1% w/w. The best formulations of OGES and OGEP with each concentration of 0.5% in a synthetic water solvent of 17.500 ppm NaCl were obtained with a ratio of 9.5:0.5. The formulation was able to reduce the interfacial tension to the order of 10-3 at a temperature of 70 oC, compatible at a temperature of 84 oC, and form a microemulsion in the phase behavior test. In addition, the formulation is also able to maintain a decrease in interfacial tension for 14 days in the thermal degradation test, can change the wettability of sandstone from oil-wet to water-wet, and also produces oil recovery in the synthetic rock by 67%. In the use of jirak injection water solvent in the presence of an inhibitor, the OGES:OGEP (9.5:0.5) formulation was also able to reduce the interfacial tension up to the order of 10-3.