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Surfactant Adsorption Isotherms: A Review
Shams Kalam1, Sidqi A Abu-Khamsin1, Muhammad Shahzad Kamal2
1Department of Petroleum Engineering, King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals, 31261 Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.
ACS Omega
|December 13, 2021
Summary
Minimizing surfactant adsorption is key for chemical-enhanced oil recovery (cEOR). This review covers adsorption isotherm models like Langmuir and Freundlich, aiding process optimization.
Area of Science:
- Petroleum Engineering
- Surface Chemistry
Background:
- Surfactant adsorption on rock surfaces poses a challenge for chemical-enhanced oil recovery (cEOR).
- Accurate modeling of adsorption data is crucial for optimizing cEOR processes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide a mini-review of surfactant adsorption isotherms.
- To discuss adsorption theories and commonly used isotherm models for cEOR applications.
Main Methods:
- Review of established adsorption theories, including two-step and four-region models.
- Discussion of widely used two-parameter isotherms: Langmuir (monolayer, homogeneous sites) and Freundlich (multilayer, heterogeneous sites).
- Exploration of more complex three-parameter isotherms like Redlich-Peterson and Sips.
Main Results:
- Identifies Langmuir and Freundlich as prevalent models in cEOR research.
- Highlights the applicability of Langmuir to homogeneous surfaces and Freundlich to heterogeneous surfaces.
- Introduces advanced models (Redlich-Peterson, Sips) for more complex adsorption behaviors.
Conclusions:
- Understanding and selecting appropriate adsorption isotherms are vital for effective cEOR.
- This review serves as a guide for applying suitable isotherm models to experimental adsorption data.
- Proper isotherm selection can lead to improved efficiency and optimization of surfactant-based EOR.
