Dynamic interfacial tension behaviors between Guerbet betaine surfactants solution and Daqing crude oil

In the surfactant flooding systems for enhanced oil recovery, interfacial tension between surfactant solution and crude oil should be decreased to ultralow value (<10−2 mN m−1). Accordingly, in this paper, the dynamic interfacial tension behaviors between Guerbet betaine surfactants solution and Daqing crude oil were studied. The influence factors such as ethylene oxide groups, surfactant concentration, and the mass ratio of compound systems, sodium carbonate concentration and temperature were investigated. It was found that the prepared surfactants used alone cannot reduce the dynamic interfacial tension to ultralow value. In order to meet the demand, the compound systems were taken into account. The results showed that the effect of GC16 (3)/GC20 (5) compound system was better than GC16 (3)/GC18 (5) and GC20 (5)/GC18 (5). When the mass ratio of GC16 (3)/GC20 (5) was 9:1, the dynamic interfacial tension can reach ultralow value. Then the effect of sodium carbonate concentration and temperature were studied for this better compound system (GC16 (3)/GC20 (5) = 9:1), the results showed that this compound system existed an optimum sodium carbonate concentration and exhibited good temperature resistance.