Press release
What are the applications of surfactants in oilfield production?
1.Surfactants for Heavy Oil ExtractionDue to the high viscosity and poor fluidity of heavy oil, its extraction poses significant challenges. To recover such heavy oil, an aqueous solution of surfactants is sometimes injected into the wellbore to transform the highly viscous crude into a low-viscosity oil-in-water emulsion, which can then be pumped to the surface.
The surfactants used in this heavy oil emulsification and viscosity reduction method include sodium alkyl sulfonate, polyoxyethylene alkyl alcohol ether, polyoxyethylene alkyl phenol ether, polyoxyethylene-polyoxypropylene polyamine, and sodium polyoxyethylene alkyl alcohol ether sulfate.
The extracted oil-in-water emulsion requires water separation, for which industrial surfactants are also employed as demulsifiers. These demulsifiers are water-in-oil emulsifiers. Commonly used ones include cationic surfactants or naphthenic acids, asphaltic acids, and their polyvalent metal salts.
For particularly viscous crudes that cannot be extracted using conventional pumping methods, steam injection for thermal recovery is required. To enhance thermal recovery efficiency, surfactants are necessary. One common approach is injecting foam into the steam injection well-specifically, high-temperature-resistant foaming agents along with non-condensable gases.
Commonly used foaming agents include alkyl benzene sulfonates, -olefin sulfonates, petroleum sulfonates, sulfonated polyoxyethylene alkyl alcohol ethers, and sulfonated polyoxyethylene alkyl phenol ethers. Due to their high surface activity and stability against acids, bases, oxygen, heat, and oil, fluorinated surfactants are ideal high-temperature foaming agents.
To facilitate the passage of dispersed oil through the pore-throat structure of the formation or to make oil on the formation surface easier to displace, surfactants known as thin-film spreading agents are used. A common example is oxyalkylated phenolic resin polymer surfactants.
2.Surfactants for Waxy Crude Oil Extraction
Extracting waxy crude oil requires regular wax prevention and removal. Surfactants serve as both wax inhibitors and paraffin dispersants.
For wax inhibition, there are oil-soluble surfactants (which alter the surface properties of wax crystals) and water-soluble surfactants (which modify the properties of wax-deposition surfaces like tubing, sucker rods, and equipment). Common oil-soluble surfactants include petroleum sulfonates and amine-type surfactants. Water-soluble options include sodium alkyl sulfonate, quaternary ammonium salts, alkyl polyoxyethylene ethers, aromatic polyoxyethylene ethers, and their sodium sulfonate derivatives.
For paraffin removal, surfactants are also categorized into oil-soluble (used in oil-based paraffin removers) and water-soluble (such as sulfonate-type, quaternary ammonium-type, polyether-type, Tween-type, OP-type surfactants, and sulfate/sulfonated PEG-type or OP-type surfactants).
In recent years, domestic and international practices have integrated wax prevention and removal, combining oil-based and water-based removers into hybrid paraffin dispersants. These use aromatic hydrocarbons as the oil phase and emulsifiers with paraffin-dissolving properties as the water phase. When the emulsifier has an appropriate cloud point (the temperature at which it becomes cloudy), it demulsifies below the wax deposition zone, releasing both components to work simultaneously.
3.Surfactants for Crude Oil Dehydration
In primary and secondary oil recovery, oil-in-water demulsifiers are predominantly used. Three generations of products have been developed:
1.First generation: Carboxylates, sulfates, and sulfonates.
2.Second generation: Low-molecular-weight nonionic surfactants (e.g., OP, PEG, and sulfonated castor oil).
3.Third generation: High-molecular-weight nonionic surfactants.
In late-stage secondary recovery and tertiary recovery, crude oil often exists as water-in-oil emulsions. Demulsifiers fall into four categories:
Quaternary ammonium salts (e.g., tetradecyl trimethyl ammonium chloride, dicetyl dimethyl ammonium chloride), which react with anionic emulsifiers to alter their HLB (hydrophilic-lipophilic balance) or adsorb onto water-wet clay particles, changing wettability.
Anionic surfactants (acting as oil-in-water emulsifiers) and oil-soluble nonionic surfactants, also effective for breaking water-in-oil emulsions.
Contact us [https://www.qixuanchemtec.com/contact-us/]
Image: https://www.qixuanchemtec.com/uploads/16.jpg
Media Contact
Company Name: SHANGHAI QIXUAN CHEMTECH CO., LTD.
Email:Send Email [https://www.abnewswire.com/email_contact_us.php?pr=what-are-the-applications-of-surfactants-in-oilfield-production]
Country: China
Website: https://www.qixuanchemtec.com/
Legal Disclaimer: Information contained on this page is provided by an independent third-party content provider. ABNewswire makes no warranties or responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you are affiliated with this article or have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article and would like it to be removed, please contact retract@swscontact.com
This release was published on openPR.
Permanent link to this press release:
Copy
Please set a link in the press area of your homepage to this press release on openPR. openPR disclaims liability for any content contained in this release.
You can edit or delete your press release What are the applications of surfactants in oilfield production? here
News-ID: 4189653 • Views: …
More Releases from ABNewswire
Dee Agarwal on Embedding Sustainability into Everyday Business Decisions
Dee Agarwal emphasizes that sustainability should be embedded into every business decision, empowering employees, aligning long-term value with responsible practices, and transforming it from a symbolic initiative into a source of competitive advantage.
ATLANTA, GA - November 6th, 2025 - For many businesses, sustainability has long been treated as an afterthought; a box to check, a line in the annual report, or a project left to a specialized team. But as…
Q4 Reconciliation Made Easier with Zil Money's Virtual Cards
As Year-end Budgets Tighten, Zil Money's Virtual Cards Help SMBs to Close the Books Cleanly
Image: https://www.abnewswire.com/upload/2025/11/99fc28f9ac360897ec63d28b3faedd3e.jpg
TYLER, TX, USA - Nov 6, 2025 - Zil Money, a leading B2B payments platform, is highlighting its virtual card [https://zilmoney.com/virtual-card/?utm_source=virtual_cards&utm_medium=press_release&utm_campaign=ro] offering as a financial control tool for businesses managing end-of-year spending. The company says rising Q4 purchasing activity and tighter departmental budgets are driving adoption, with more firms using virtual cards to enforce policy…
Renowned Astrologer Tatiana Borsch Releases "Complete Horoscope 2026"
In-Depth 2026 Predictions for All Zodiac Signs, Monthly Guides, Moon Phases, and Global Trends in Finance, Tech, and Politics.
Image: https://www.abnewswire.com/upload/2025/11/9f1ba5d1b25a4aa4d4351dc608ccd68c.jpg
Limassol, Cyprus - Renowned astrologer Tatiana Borsch has launched her latest book, "Complete Horoscope 2026: Your Monthly Astrology Guide with Moon Phases and Lunar Days." This comprehensive 2026 zodiac horoscope provides monthly predictions for all signs along with practical insights on moon phases, retrograde planets, void of course moon periods, lunar…
New Book Explores One of the Most Urgent Questions of This Era: Can Humanity Ris …
Are we destined to destroy ourselves-or evolve beyond the forces that divide us? A compelling new book, The Human Paradox: Conflict, Consciousness, and the Future of Civilisation by Paul R. Evans, confronts this pressing question with striking clarity and depth.
In The Human Paradox , Evans takes readers on an expansive exploration of the human story-drawing from history, psychology, religion, science, and philosophy to examine the roots of our collective struggle.…
More Releases for Surfactants
Agricultural Surfactants Market Revenues by 2034
The agricultural surfactants market is expected to grow at 5.3% CAGR from 2024 to 2030. It is expected to reach above USD 2.84 billion by 2030 from USD 1.88 billion in 2020.
On April 1, 2025, Exactitude Consultancy., Ltd. released a research report offers a comprehensive examination of the various processes and materials used in the production of Agricultural Surfactants market goods. The market study excludes key regions that are accelerating…
Surfactants Market Size Outlook, Supportive Judgments | Dow Chemical Company, Wa …
The global surfactants market was valued at $41.3 billion in 2019, and is projected to reach $58.5 billion by 2027, registering a CAGR of 5.3% from 2020 to 2027. Surfactants are organic chemicals, with both hydrophilic and hydrophobic ends, that when added, change the properties of the liquid. Surfactants allow oil molecules to dissolve in water. They have vast practical applications in a variety of industries, owing to their properties…
Surfactants Market to Reach USD 57.81 Billion by 2028|Surfactants Industry Share …
The global surfactants market size is projected to reach USD57.81 billion by 2028, exhibiting a CAGR of 4.9% during the forecast period. The market stood at USD 39.42 billion in 2020 and is estimated to reach USD 41.22 billion in 2021. The rising demand for cleaning agents from the household sector is likely to fuel market growth. Fortune Business Insights™ mentions this information in its report titled "Surfactants Market, 2021-2028."
Surfactants…
Nonionic Surfactants Market 2022 | Detailed Report
According to Market Study Report, Nonionic Surfactants Market provides a comprehensive analysis of the Nonionic Surfactants Market segments, including their dynamics, size, growth, regulatory requirements, competitive landscape, and emerging opportunities of global industry. An exclusive data offered in this report is collected by research and industry experts team.
Download FREE Sample Report @ https://www.reportsnreports.com/contacts/requestsample.aspx?name=5569171
The report provides a comprehensive analysis of company profiles listed below:
- BASF
- DOW
- Helm AG
- Nippon Shokubai
-…
Global Specialty Surfactants And Bio-surfactants Market Company Share Analysis M …
The Specialty Surfactants And Bio-surfactants Market Report is intended to function as a supportive means to assess the Specialty Surfactants And Bio-surfactants market along with the complete analysis and clear-cut statistics related to this market. In other words, the report would provide an up-to-date study of the market in terms of its latest trends, present scenario, and the overall market situation. Further, it will also help the clients in decision-making…
Surfactants for EOR Market
https://www.qandqmarketresearch.com/reports/7112443/surfactants-for-eor-market-38
Global Surfactants for EOR market size will increase to Million US$ by 2025, from Million US$ in 2017, at a CAGR of during the forecast period. In this study, 2017 has been considered as the base year and 2018 to 2025 as the forecast period to estimate the market size for Surfactants for EOR.
This report researches the worldwide Surfactants for EOR market size value, capacity, production and consumption in key…
