Surfactant Chemistry for Drilling Fluids, Enhanced Oil Recovery, and Gas Hydrate Management
This community investigates the physical chemistry of surfactants, ionic liquids, and polymers to stabilize drilling fluids, enhance oil recovery from reservoirs, and control the formation of gas hydrates.
The work centers on the behavior of cationic surfactants, specifically sodium dodecyl sulfate and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, within water-based drilling fluids and aqueous solutions. Researchers frequently employ molecular dynamics simulations and neutron scattering to understand interfacial tension, fluid loss, and the stability of these mixtures under varying temperatures and salinity. A significant portion of the literature addresses the inhibition or promotion of methane and carbon dioxide hydrate formation, often in the context of natural gas storage or pipeline safety. Additionally, the community examines the use of these chemical systems for enhanced oil recovery, particularly in heavy oil and low-permeability reservoirs, where surfactants help mobilize residual oil.
The largest share of the community's output is found in sodium research, accounting for 2.2% of all sodium research, and 6,235 papers here. Bromine research also features prominently, contributing 5.0% of all bromine research and 5,213 papers within this group.
The community comprises 33,895 papers, publishing most frequently in Langmuir, Journal of Molecular Liquids, and Journal of Colloid and Interface Science.
Recent work continues to focus on high-temperature and salt-resistant fluid loss reducers for water-based drilling fluids, as well as the use of superhydrophilic nanoparticles and biosurfactants to mobilize residual oil in carbonate reservoirs.