Ion Exchange Characteristics of Enhanced Oil Recovery Systems: Miscibility Studies. Biennial Report for the Period April 1, 1977-March 30, 1979

摘要

Results are presented on the effect of NaCl concentration on solubility of alkyl benzene sulfonates in water; effect of alkyl benzene sulfonate concentration on miscibility of a selected hydrocarbon, toluene, with water; effect of alkyl substitution on alkyl benzene sulfonates on miscibility; analogous effects of alcohol required to produce miscibility between toluene and an aqueous solution of an alkyl benzene sulfonate at a given concentration for different hydrocarbon/aqueous ratios; the effect of number of alkyl carbons, both in alkanes and in alkyl benzenes, on miscibility with a selected aqueous alkyl benzene sulfonate; and miscibilities of similar systems with mixtures of hydrocarbons. At a given protosurfactant concentration, increase in alkyl substitution on the alkyl benzene sulfonate or carboxylate increased solubilization of a hydrocarbon in the aqueous phase; in systems containing a cosurfactant, amounts of alcohol necessary to effect miscibility decreased with alkyl substitution on the organic salt. For alkyl benzene sulfonates substituted with up to four alkyl carbons, different isomers had essentially the same effect on miscibility at a given concentration; at higher degrees of substitution, differences were significant, though small. Higher concentrations of protosurfactants in most cases increased miscibility. Increasing the number of alkyl carbons of the hydrocarbon, either alkanes or phenyl alkanes, decreased miscibility. Alcohol requirements for miscibility were similar, but not identical, for alkanes and phenyl alkanes having the same number of alkyl carbons; whether more or less was required for the alkane or the corresponding phenyl alkane varied with the type of alcohol. Alcohol requirements for miscibility of hydrocarbon mixtures with aqueous protosurfactant solutions varied linearally with the weight fraction of the hydrocarbon components, other conditions being constant. (ERA citation 05:031563)