Static adsorption of a novel cationic gemini surfactant: A mineralogical study

Surfactants are deemed as an advantageous chemical in enhanced oil recovery (EOR) because of their potential of lowering the interfacial tension and modifying the wettability. However, the surfactant loss by adsorption on the rock surface is one of the major shortcomings of surfactant-based flooding techniques. The static adsorption of an in-house synthesized cationic gemini surfactant (GS12) is investigated as a function of mineral type, salinity, and concentration. Both clay and non-clay minerals have been examined. Surfactant adsorption was increased continuously by the increase of concentration till 1000 ppm and then an adsorption plateau was observed in all minerals except montmorillonite and kaolinite. It was found that clay minerals may cause more detrimental effects as compared to silicate minerals and carbonate minerals showed the least adsorption. The maximum amount of surfactant adsorbed on the mineral surface was in the order of montmorillonite > kaolinite > illite > K-feldspar > quartz > dolomite > calcite. Lower adsorption of GS12 was detected because of the presence of multivalent ions (Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺). Methylene blue (MB) has been revealed as a novel adsorption inhibitor for cationic GS12 on various minerals. MB adsorbs on the negative binding sites of both clay and non-clay minerals. Therefore, an electrostatic repulsion takes place between the cationic dye (MB) and cationic GS12, leading to the reduction of GS12 adsorption on the mineral surface. Only the addition of 100 ppm of MB in the surfactant solution at the highest concentration (1500 ppm) reduced GS12 adsorption on quartz surface to 0.67 mg/g-rock. This study will help in designing the chemical EOR process using GS12 on carbonate formation containing silica and clay minerals as impurities.