Nanosurfactants for improved and enhanced oil recovery applications

1. A method of producing a nanosurfactant particle suitable for injection into a hydrocarbon-bearing formation for enhanced oil recovery operations, the method comprising the steps of:

combining a sulfonate surfactant and an oil to form a first mixture;

combining the first mixture, a zwitterionic co-surfactant, and fresh water to produce a second mixture, wherein a total dissolved solids (TDS) concentration of the fresh water is less than 3,000 ppm; and

combining the second mixture and saline water to produce a nanosurfactant composition comprising the nanosurfactant particle, wherein the TDS concentration of the saline water is greater than 10,000 ppm,

wherein the nanosurfactant particle has a diameter ranging between 10 nm and 100 nm,

wherein the nanosurfactant particle comprises the sulfonate surfactant, the zwitterionic co-surfactant, and the oil,

wherein the zwitterionic co-surfactant stabilizes the nanosurfactant particle by interacting with cations present in the saline water,

wherein the quantity of the sulfonate surfactant in the nanosurfactant composition ranges between 0.1 wt % and 0.25 wt %,

wherein the quantity of the oil in the nanosurfactant composition ranges between 0.002 wt % and 0.02 wt %.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sulfonate surfactant is petroleum sulfonate.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the petroleum sulfonate includes one selected from the group consisting of: an alkyl sulfonate, an alkyl aryl sulfonate, and combinations thereof.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the zwitterionic co-surfactant is cocamidopropyl hydroxysultaine.

5. The method of claim 1 , where the quantity of the zwitterionic co-surfactant in the nanosurfactant composition ranges between 0.1 wt % and 0.2 wt %.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the oil is mineral oil.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the TDS concentration of the nanosurfactant composition ranges between 30,000 ppm and 220,000 ppm.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the oil facilitates containment of the sulfonate surfactant in the nanosurfactant particle.

9. A nanosurfactant particle suitable for injection into a hydrocarbon-bearing formation for enhanced oil recovery operations, the nanosurfactant particle comprising:

petroleum sulfonate;

a zwitterionic co-surfactant; and

mineral oil,

wherein the mineral oil facilitates containment of the petroleum sulfonate in the nanosurfactant particle,

wherein the zwitterionic co-surfactant stabilizes the nanosurfactant particle by interacting with cations present in saline water such that interfacial tension between hydrocarbons and the saline water is reduced,

wherein the quantity of the petroleum sulfonate in the nanosurfactant composition ranges between 0.1 wt % and 0.25 wt %,

wherein the quantity of the mineral oil in the nanosurfactant composition ranges between 0.002 wt % and 0.02 wt %.

10. The nanosurfactant particle of claim 9 , wherein the zwitterionic co-surfactant is cocamidopropyl hydroxysultaine.

11. The nanosurfactant particle of claim 9 , wherein the nanosurfactant particle has a diameter ranging between 10 nm and 100 nm.

12. The nanosurfactant particle of claim 9 , wherein the nanosurfactant particle is stable for at least three months under saline conditions having a total dissolved solids (TDS) concentration ranging between 30,000 ppm and 220,000 ppm.

13. The nanosurfactant particle of claim 9 , wherein the nanosurfactant particle is stable for at least three months at a temperature of at least 100° C.

14. A method for recovering hydrocarbons from a hydrocarbon-bearing formation, the method comprising the steps of:

introducing into the hydrocarbon-bearing formation a nanosurfactant composition comprising saline water and a nanosurfactant particle, wherein the nanosurfactant composition is formed by the steps of:

combining petroleum sulfonate and mineral oil to form a first mixture;

combining the first mixture, a zwitterionic co-surfactant, and fresh water to produce a second mixture; and

combining the second mixture with the saline water to produce the nanosurfactant composition,

wherein the nanosurfactant particle comprises the petroleum sulfonate, the zwitterionic co-surfactant, and the mineral oil,

wherein the nanosurfactant composition has a total dissolved solids (TDS) concentration ranging between 30,000 ppm and 220,000 ppm,

wherein the zwitterionic co-surfactant stabilizes the nanosurfactant particle by interacting with cations present in the saline water,

wherein the quantity of the petroleum sulfonate in the nanosurfactant composition ranges between 0.1 wt % and 0.25 wt %,

wherein the quantity of the mineral oil in the nanosurfactant composition ranges between 0.002 wt % and 0.02 wt %;

driving the nanosurfactant composition through the hydrocarbon-bearing formation to displace hydrocarbons from the hydrocarbon-bearing formation, wherein the nanosurfactant particle reduces the interfacial tension between the hydrocarbons and the saline water; and

recovering the hydrocarbons that are displaced.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the zwitterionic co-surfactant is cocamidopropyl hydroxysultaine.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the nanosurfactant particle has a diameter ranging between 10 nm and 100 nm.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the nanosurfactant particle is stable for at least three months at a temperature of at least 100° C.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the mineral oil facilitates containment of the petroleum sulfonate in the nanosurfactant particle.