Synthesis of an Alkyl Polyoxyethylene Ether Sulfonate Surfactant and Its Application in Surfactant Flooding

Abstract Surfactant flooding as a potential enhanced oil‐recovery technology in a high‐temperature and high‐salinity oil reservoir after water flooding has attracted extensive attention. In this study, the synthesis of an alkyl alcohol polyoxyethylene ether sulfonate surfactant (C 12 EO 7 S) with dodecyl alcohol polyoxyethylene ether and sodium 2‐chloroethanesulfonate monohydrate, and its adaptability in surfactant flooding were investigated. The fundamental parameters of C 12 EO 7 S were obtained via surface tension measurement. And the ability to reduce oil–water interfacial tension (IFT), wettability alteration, emulsification, and adsorption was determined. The results illustrated that IFT could be reduced to 10 −3 mN m −1 at high temperature and high salinity without additional additives, and C 12 EO 7 S exhibited benign wettability alternate ability, and emulsifying ability. Furthermore, the oil‐displacement experiments showed that C 12 EO 7 S solution could remarkably enhance oil recovery by 16.19% without adding any additives.