Ketapang surfactant: A natural solution for enhanced oil recovery

This study focuses on the application of the natural surfactant "Ketapang" for Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) using sodium lignosulfonate (SLS). The aim was to evaluate the effectiveness of the surfactant in reducing interfacial tension and increasing oil recovery factor (RF). The tests conducted included phase behavior, Interfacial Tension (IFT), and Coreflood. The results showed that the surfactant was effective in reducing IFT, forming a lower phase type II microemulsion in the phase behavior test. The OOIP Coreflood test indicated that the surfactant injection increased RF significantly. After surfactant injection, RF improved from 51.28% to 74.36% for core sample 40-09 and from 41.67% to 62.5% for core sample 50-02. The implication of this study is that the use of natural surfactants, such as Ketapang, in EOR could be a viable alternative for increasing oil production and recovery in the petroleum industry.