Synthesis of Oligomeric Silicone Surfactant and its Interfacial Properties

Abstract

During the exploitation of low permeability gas-condensate reservoirs, the mud filtrate, acidizing liquid, and fracturing fluid invade the reservoir and condensate gas, severely reducing the permeability of the reservoirs due to increased capillary pressure and water wettability. For the current paper, an oligomeric silicone surfactant (OSSF) containing sulfonic acid groups was synthesized to improve the flowback of such fluids. The critical micelle mass concentration and critical surface tension were determined by equilibrium surface tension. The surface tension increased with the hot rolling temperature and decreased with the addition of NaCl, KCl, or CaCl2. When the concentration exceeded critical micelle mass concentration, a micelle was formed and its size increased with mass concentration. OSSF adsorption through solid–liquid surface changed the surface chemical composition of the cores and transferred the wettability of cores from water-wet to preferential gas-wet by decreasing the surface energy. At the same time, the increasing temperature led to a change in the adsorption isotherm of quartz sand from Langmuir type (L-type) to “double plateau” type (LS-type) in the OSSF solution. In addition, NaCl decreased the relative foam volume of OSSF while extending the half-life. OSSF decreased the initial foaming volume and stability of the induction period and accelerated sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (SDBS) formation.