Oil, Energy, Metallurgy
Surfactants are widely used in oil extraction, pipeline transportation, petroleum refining, and new energy sectors, performing various functions such as emulsification, penetration, dispersion, viscosity reduction, and sterilization, thereby effectively increasing the oil recovery rate in oil fields. In mineral flotation, mineral slurry dispersion, and metallurgical processes, surfactants also play significant roles, effectively enhancing the separation efficiency in metallurgy and mining.
● Wetting Agents/Penetrants: Used as penetration promoters in acidizing fracturing fluids, they can improve the wettability of crude oil/rock/sand layer surfaces and reduce oil-water interfacial tension, thereby facilitating crude oil release and enhancing oil recovery efficiency (EOR); used as additives in water-based/oil-based drilling fluids, they can improve the wettability between drilling fluids and rock walls, reduce filtrate invasion, and maintain wellbore stability. Common types: Non-ionic (fatty alcohol polyether, Alkyl Polyglycoside (APG)); Anionic (petroleum sulfonates, alkyl sulfonates, sulfosuccinates); Special surfactants such as fluorosurfactants are used in certain special scenarios.
● Foaming Agents: Applied in natural gas well liquid removal, foam flooding for oil recovery, and proppant carrying in shale gas fracturing flowback fluid. In gas lift, foam flooding, and coalbed methane extraction, they help carry liquids and reduce wellbore fluid column pressure; used in sulfide ore flotation, they form stable foam in flotation cells, enabling mineral particles to adhere and float upward. Common types: Anionic (alkyl sulfates, alkyl ether sulfates, alpha-olefin sulfonates); Special surfactants such as fluorocarbon/silicocarbon surfactants are required in some high-temperature and high-salinity environments.
● Defoamers/Antifoaming Agents: Used in drilling circulating fluid, fracturing fluid flowback, and heavy oil thermal recovery fluid. They control foam in drilling fluid and fracturing flowback fluid, preventing issues such as gas locking and pump cavitation. Common types: Polyether-modified silicone oil, Ethylene Oxide/Propylene Oxide (EO/PO) block copolymers, long-chain alcohols.
● Emulsifiers: Used in drilling fluid emulsification and heavy oil emulsification transportation (to reduce flow resistance), promoting the stability and safety of drilling fluids. Common types: Glycerides, sorbitan esters, polysorbates, PEG-PPG-EO/PO fatty acid esters, PEGs-PPGs-EO/PO block polymers, non-ionic/anionic blends (fatty alcohol polyether + alkyl sulfonates).
● Demulsifiers: Applied in crude oil pretreatment and crude oil dehydration/desalination. They quickly destroy oil-in-water or water-in-oil emulsion films to separate oil and water. Common types: Modified polyethers, EO/PO block resins, cationic/non-ionic blends.
● Viscosity Reducers: Used in oil extraction, heavy oil pipeline transportation, heavy oil fluidity improvement, and thermal recovery systems. They change the aggregation state of resins and asphaltenes in crude oil, reduce viscosity, and improve pipeline transportability.
● Fracturing Fluid Additives: Used in hydraulic fracturing fluid formulations (for shale gas and tight gas). They help fracturing fluid uniformly wet proppants (quartz sand/ceramic proppants) and improve the dispersion and transportation of sand. Common types: Zwitterionic surfactants (betaine types); Non-ionic (polyethers).
● Dispersants/Antiscalants: Used in oil well scaling control, pipeline transportation, heat exchanger antiscaling, and asphaltene deposition inhibitors. They inhibit asphaltene deposition, disperse and prevent inorganic scale (CaCO₃, BaSO₄) particles; used in iron ore desliming and pulp regulation, they disperse fine particles in pulp, prevent agglomeration of argillaceous minerals, and inhibit the flotation of non-target minerals. Common types: Phosphate-based, sulfonate-based, polycarboxylate-based, and polyacrylate-based surfactants; Organosilicon surfactants are among the most effective asphaltene deposition inhibitors.
● Bactericides/Preservatives: Used for bactericidal and preservative purposes in oil and gas gathering and transportation pipelines, refinery equipment, and offshore platform facilities. Some cationic surfactants (imidazolines, quaternary ammonium salts) can adsorb on metal surfaces to form a hydrophobic protective film.
● Cleaning Agents: Used in refinery Clean-In-Place (CIP) and chemical cleaning of heat exchangers to remove oil stains, asphaltenes, and sediments from heat exchangers, storage tanks, pipelines, and boilers. Common types: Low-foam non-ionic (EO/PO block copolymers), APG, anionic Alpha-Olefin Sulfonate (AOS).
● Wastewater Treatment Additives: Applied in oily wastewater treatment stations, refinery wastewater, oilfield produced water, and metallurgical wastewater treatment. They perform functions such as demulsification, defoaming, and coagulation assistance to promote wastewater treatment. Common types: EO/PO block demulsifiers, silicone polyether defoamers, cationic surfactants (for coagulation assistance).
● Fuel Additives: Used as diesel detergents, gas turbine fuel stabilizers, and fuel cleaners. A small amount of surfactants can act as fuel detergent-dispersants to prevent nozzle blockage by sediments. Common types: Cationic/zwitterionic modified surfactants.
● Paraffin Inhibitors: Used in oil production operations to reduce wax deposition, lower the viscosity of high-wax-content petroleum fluids, or prevent complete gelling. Paraffin inhibitors interact with paraffin in crude oil to modify or inhibit the formation, shape, and size of wax crystals, thereby eliminating surface adhesion. Common paraffin inhibitors include ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers, polyethers, and amine-based surfactants.
● Flotation Agents/Collectors: Used in metal ore flotation. By changing the hydrophilic/hydrophobic properties of mineral surfaces, they achieve the separation of minerals and gangue. Common types: Fatty acid salts (for oxide ore flotation), xanthates (for sulfide ore flotation).
