Sacrificing Surfactants to Improve Oil Recovery: A Fluid Density Functional Theory Study.

In the chemically enhanced oil recovery (CEOR) processes, heavy components in crude oil, such as asphaltenes, adhere to reservoir rocks, significantly impeding crude oil extraction. Surfactants are frequently utilized to improve oil recovery due to their ability to reduce interfacial tension (IFT) and modify surface wettability. Nevertheless, indiscriminate surfactant usage may result in resource wastage and hinder the attainment of optimal recovery outcomes.