Fractional Flow Behaviour and Transport Mechanisms During Low salinity and Protein Enzyme Bio-surfactant EOR Flooding

Abstract The focal point of this project is to investigate and assess the potentiality of an enhanced waterflooding process by a naturally generated surfactant (Protein-Enzyme bio-surfactant). The effect of low salinity (LSW), and LSW combined with a bio-surfactant (Protein-Enzyme) in a tertiary mode flooding comparatively. A high salinity water (HS) (0.75 M) was used to flood in the secondary mode after aging the crude saturated core with an initial water saturation of 19%, a recovery of 68.15% oil initially in place (OIIP) was recovered until no further recovery. Upon flooding with a LSW (90% dilution of HS), a further incremental recovery of 11.1% OIIP was produced. Enhancing the LSW with bio-surfactant in a third flooding sequence, an additional 3.75% OIIP was recovered. Analysing the mechanism of LSW bio-surfactant with fractional flow, a high recovery of 0.583 PV (pore volumes) at breakthrough was estimated. Thus, an alteration in ionic strength (salinity) by a 90% dilution and combination of bio-surfactant, saw an incremental recovery, which indicates the potential of LSW bio-surfactant on recovery of residual oil saturation.