Synergistic Stabilization of Emulsified Solvent by Nanobentonite and Alkylethoxyglucoside to Improve Heavy Oil Recovery

This study investigated the synergistic stabilization of an emulsified solvent by nanobentonite (NPT) and alkylethoxyglucoside (AEG) for improved oil recovery in water-flooded heavy oil reservoirs. Zeta potential measurements and fluorescence microscopy confirmed that nanobentonite particles adsorbed with alkylethoxyglucoside exhibit partial hydrophobicity and slight aggregation. The improvement in emulsion stability through the synergistic effect between alkylethoxyglucoside and nanobentonite can be attributed to the adsorption of partially hydrophobized nanobentonite at emulsion surfaces and the formation of a dense network structure in the water phase. This increases the elastic strength of the interfacial film and bulk viscosity of the emulsified solvent. Sandpack flooding results indicate that heavy oil recovery increased by 28.6% with an emulsified solvent stabilized by the synergistic system of 1.0 wt % NPT and 0.3 wt % AEG. It is demonstrated that synergistic stabilization of emulsified solvent by nanobentonite and alkylethoxyglucoside greatly improves mobility control and increases sweep efficiency. Furthermore, the emulsified solvents enhance heavy oil mobility by reducing the viscosity and promoting effective dispersion.