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Synthesis of Didodecylmethylcarboxyl Betaine and Its Application in Surfactant–Polymer Flooding

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Journal of Surfactants and Detergents

Abstract

Enhanced crude oil recovery by chemical flooding has been a main measure for postponing the overall decline of crude oil output in China, and surfactant-polymer (SP) flooding may replace alkali-surfactant-polymer flooding in the future for avoiding the undesired effects of using alkali. In this paper the synthesis of a surfactant with a large hydrophobe, didodecylmethylcarboxyl betaine (diC12B), and its adaptability in SP flooding were investigated. The results show that diC12B can be synthesized by reaction of didodecylmethyl amine, a product commercially available, with chloroacetic acid in the presence of NaOH, with a resulting yield as high as 80 wt% under appropriate conditions. With double dodecyl chain diC12B is highly surface active as displayed by its low CMC, 3.7 × 10−6 mol L−1, low γCMC, 27 mNm−1, as well as high adsorption and small cross section area (≤0.25 nm2) at both air/water and oil/water interfaces at 25 °C. By mixing with conventional hydrophilic surfactants diC12B can be well dissolved in Daqing connate water and reduce the Daqing crude oil/connate water interfacial tension to about 10−3 mN m−1 at 45 °C in a wide total surfactant concentration range, from 0.01 to 0.5 wt%. And a tertiary oil recovery, 18 ± 1.5 % OOIP, can been achieved by SP flooding using natural cores without adding any alkaline agent or neutral electrolyte. DiC12B seems thus to be a good surfactant for enhanced oil recovery by SP flooding.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank the Laboratory of Oil Recovery, Institute of Petroleum Exploring and Development of Daqing, China, for financial support and the measurement of oil recovery using natural cores. The authors also thank Miss Shan Cheng, Miss Wen-yan Zhang, and Mr. Chuan-wen Liao, who did parts of the experimental work as M.Sc. students.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Key Laboratory of Food Colloids and Biotechnology, Ministry of Education, School of Chemical and Material Engineering, Jiangnan University, 1800 Lihu Road, Wuxi, 214122, Jiangsu, People’s Republic of China

    Zheng-gang Cui, Xiang-rui Du, Xiao-mei Pei, Jian-zhong Jiang & Feng Wang

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  1. Zheng-gang Cui
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  2. Xiang-rui Du
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  3. Xiao-mei Pei
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Correspondence to Zheng-gang Cui.

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Cui, Zg., Du, Xr., Pei, Xm. et al. Synthesis of Didodecylmethylcarboxyl Betaine and Its Application in Surfactant–Polymer Flooding. J Surfact Deterg 15, 685–694 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11743-012-1396-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11743-012-1396-2

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