ISSN print edition: 0366-6352 ISSN electronic edition: 1336-9075 Registr. No.: MK SR 9/7 Published monthly

Mini-review on the evaluation of thermodynamic parameters for surfactants adsorption onto rock reservoirs: cEOR applications

Seif El Islam Lebouachera, Abir Boublia, Mohamed El Moundher Hadji, Mohammed Abdelfetah Ghriga, Djilali Tassalit, Mohamed Khodja, Bruno Grassl, and Nadjib Drouiche

Université de Pau et des Pays de l’Adour, E2S UPPA, CNRS, TotalEnergies, LFCR, Anglet, France

E-mail: s.lebouachera@univ-pau.fr

Received: 18 May 2024  Accepted: 26 November 2024

Abstract:

Understanding thermodynamic parameters such as Gibbs free energy (ΔG°), enthalpy (ΔH°), and entropy (ΔS°) is crucial for characterizing surfactant adsorption mechanisms in chemical enhanced oil recovery (cEOR). This paper synthesizes recent studies on the thermodynamics of surfactant adsorption onto various reservoirs rock types, with a focus on quantitative and qualitative parameters critical to optimizing cEOR processes. Generally, surfactant adsorption is exothermic; for example, adsorption of sodium dodecyl sulfate and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide on sandstone and carbonate rocks yields ΔH° values between − 8 and − 20 kJ mol⁻¹ under typical reservoirs conditions. However, adsorption behaviors are influenced by factors such as surfactant type, rock mineralogy, salinity, and temperature, with occasional endothermic interactions observed in high-temperature reservoirs or with specific non-ionic surfactants. A positive linear correlation between ΔH° and ΔS° is commonly observed, indicating that increases in exothermic enthalpy (more negative ΔH°) are associated with increases in entropy (positive ΔS°), suggesting that adsorption processes that promote greater interfacial disorder are energetically favorable. This review not only consolidates key thermodynamic concepts but also provides a comparative analysis of thermodynamic parameters across different rock-surfactant systems, identifying trends and gaps in the literature. By offering insights into the specific conditions that enhance surfactant performance, this study establishes a thermodynamic framework to guide surfactant selection and optimization in cEOR. These contributions aim to deepen understanding of adsorption behavior and inform more effective, tailored cEOR strategies.

Keywords: Adsorption; Surfactants; Rock reservoirs; Gibbs free energy; Chemical enhanced oil recovery (cEOR); Enthalpy; Entropy; Exothermic adsorption

Full paper is available at www.springerlink.com.

DOI: 10.1007/s11696-024-03832-5

Chemical Papers 79 (2) 655–666 (2025)