Effect of Capillary Number on the Residual Saturation of Colloidal Dispersions Stabilized by a Zwitterionic Surfactant

We investigated oil recovery from porous rock using nanoscale colloidal dispersions, formed by adsorption of an anionic polymer [poly-(4styrenesulfonic acid-co-maleic acid); PSS-co-MA] and a zwitterionic surfactant [N-tetradecyl-N, N-dimethyl-3-ammonio-1-propanesulfonate, TPS] onto silica nanoparticles. In an emulsion, colloidal dispersion enhanced the stability of the oil-water interface in the absence of particle aggregation; the hydrophobic alkyl chains of TPS shifted into the oil drop, not only physiochemically, stabilizing the oil-water interface, but also promoting repulsive particle-to-particle interaction. Core flooding experiments on residual oil saturation as a function of capillary number, at various injection rates and oil viscosities, showed that the residual oil level was reduced by almost half when the zwitterionic surfactant was present in the colloidal dispersion. Consequently, the result revealed that this colloidal dispersion at the interface provides a mechanically robust layer at the oil-water interface without particle aggregation. Thus, the dispersion readily entered the pore throat and adhered to the oil-water interface, lowering the interfacial tension and improving oil recovery.