Interfacial tension measurement of light oil from fang oilfield by using alkaline-polymer flooding

Enhanced oil recovery especially alkaline-polymer flooding is an essential technique to improve oil recovery. It involves injection of alkaline to reduce interfacial tension (IFT) between displacing and displaced phases and polymer to improve mobility ratio to produce more oil. In Fang oilfield, Thailand, light oil production can be increased by using chemicals to reduce IFT of oil and water. In this study, sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (HPAM) are used as alkali and polymer, respectively to lower the IFT with various conditions. Therefore, the objective of this work is to measure the IFT and evaluate the effects of parameters such as concentration, pressure, temperature, and salinity on IFT reduction for oil from Thailand. The results present that concentration of chemical plays a key role for IFT reduction accounting for 99.49%. IFT reduces with the increase of temperature up to 49.30%. Pressure has less effect on IFT reduction. However, salinity can increase IFT for 94.74% at low alkali concentration while HPAM could be more benefit in other aspects such as the mobility control process. The results of this work can apply to increase more oil production for Fang oilfield with the optimum conditions