Alkaline-Surfactant-Polymer Flooding:
A chemical enhanced oil recovery flood that uses two sources of surfactant and a polymer. Alkaline chemicals such as sodium carbonate react with acidic oil components in situ to create petroleum soap, which is one of the surfactants. A synthetic surfactant is injected simultaneously with the alkali. A water-soluble polymer is also injected, both in mixture with the alkali and surfactant and as a slug following the mixture, to increase the viscosity of the injectant, thereby improving mobility control of the flood fronts.
A chemical enhanced oil recovery flood that uses two sources of surfactant and a polymer. Alkaline chemicals such as sodium carbonate react with acidic oil components in situ to create petroleum soap, which is one of the surfactants. A synthetic surfactant is injected simultaneously with the alkali. A water-soluble polymer is also injected, both in mixture with the alkali and surfactant and as a slug following the mixture, to increase the viscosity of the injectant, thereby improving mobility control of the flood fronts.