Enhanced oil recovery potential analysis through simulation of a bio-based surfactant using CFD.

[Display omitted] • Core scale CFD simulation study of bio-based surfactant flooding. • Same meshed geometry for both water and surfactant flooding. • Mass transfer of surfactant using species transport model. • Species transport model coupled with multiphase VOF model. Bio-based surfactant flooding is encouraged as an EOR method, as it is obtained from natural sources and is economically attractive. In the present study, the EOR efficiency of a natural surfactant synthesized from rapseed oil has been simulated using ANSYS FLUENT. The process of oil recovery from a core by injection of surfactant has been simulated by incorporating core, brine, surfactant, and crude oil properties into the numerical model. Mass transfer of surfactant between the aqueous phase and crude oil has been modeled using species transport without a chemical reaction model. Species transport model has been coupled with the multiphase VOF model, where the flow of each phase is determined as per their respective viscous resistance. Experimental data of inlet pressure and oil production has been used for history matching and later used to visualize the oil flow through the porous media, concluding that simulation of surfactant flooding can be achieved by species transport model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]