Alkhrissat Tariq, Abdulhadi Ali Raqee, Muhsen Muntadar, Chohan Jasgurpreet Singh, Ranganathaswamy M K, Pradhan Premananda, Kumar Parveen, Chauhan Gauri, Abumalek Ahmad
Faculty of Engineering, Hourani Center for Applied Scientific Research, Al-Ahliyya Amman University, Amman, Jordan.
Mechanical Engineering Department, Al-Turath University, Baghdad, Iraq.
Sci Rep. 2025 Aug 21;15(1):30688. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-15660-y.
Enhanced oil recovery (EOR) remains a critical focus for the petroleum industry, aiming to overcome the challenges of residual oil mobilization and maximize hydrocarbon recovery in increasingly complex reservoirs. This study introduces an innovative approach using synthesized Polylactic Acid (PLA)/Henna composites as an environmentally sustainable additive to enhance oil recovery through mechanisms such as interfacial tension (IFT) reduction, wettability alteration, and physical sweeping for improved fluid sweep efficiency. The composite was synthesized using extrusion techniques to ensure a uniform filler dispersion and was extensively characterized through FTIR, SEM, and EDS analyses. Brines, including seawater (SW), formation water (FW), and PLA-Henna-modified SW, were formulated to simulate actual reservoir conditions. Experimental analyses included IFT measurement using the pendant drop method, wettability studies using contact angle measurements, and core flooding experiments to assess EOR performance. Experimental findings revealed that the optimal PLA-Henna concentration was 2 wt%, which achieved significant IFT reductions (to 27 mN/m in SW). The composite also altered rock wettability from oil-wet to water-wet with pronounced effects in SW brine, where contact angles reduced from 142 to 89°. Core flooding experiments highlighted an increase in oil recovery factors, with PLA-Henna-modified SW yielding the highest recovery (85%) compared to FW (49.7%) or SW (61%). These advancements emphasize PLA/Henna composites' potential for sustainable EOR applications, ensuring improved recovery outcomes while utilizing biodegradable, eco-friendly materials.
提高采收率（EOR）仍然是石油行业的一个关键重点，旨在克服剩余油动用的挑战，并在日益复杂的油藏中最大限度地提高烃类采收率。本研究引入了一种创新方法，使用合成聚乳酸（PLA）/指甲花复合材料作为环境可持续添加剂，通过降低界面张力（IFT）、改变润湿性和物理驱替等机制来提高采收率，以改善流体驱替效率。该复合材料采用挤出技术合成，以确保填料均匀分散，并通过傅里叶变换红外光谱（FTIR）、扫描电子显微镜（SEM）和能谱分析（EDS）进行了广泛表征。配制了包括海水（SW）、地层水（FW）和PLA-指甲花改性海水在内的盐水，以模拟实际油藏条件。实验分析包括使用悬滴法测量IFT、使用接触角测量进行润湿性研究以及进行岩心驱替实验以评估提高采收率性能。实验结果表明，最佳PLA-指甲花浓度为2 wt%，可显著降低IFT（在海水中降至27 mN/m）。该复合材料还将岩石润湿性从油湿改变为水湿，在海水盐水中效果显著，接触角从142°降至89°。岩心驱替实验突出了采收率因子的增加，与地层水（49.7%）或海水（61%）相比，PLA-指甲花改性海水的采收率最高（85%）。这些进展强调了PLA/指甲花复合材料在可持续提高采收率应用中的潜力，在利用可生物降解、环保材料的同时确保了更好的采收效果。
