# Exploring the Performance Advantages of p-Aminobenzenesulfonate-Based Zwitterionic Gemini Surfactants in Oil Recovery

## TL;DR

This study shows that a new zwitterionic gemini surfactant improves oil recovery performance over traditional surfactants, especially in harsh conditions.

## Contribution

The novel zwitterionic gemini surfactant DDBS demonstrates superior oil recovery performance at much lower concentrations.

## Key findings

- DDBS outperforms DDPA in thermal stability, wettability, and resistance to temperature and salinity.
- DDBS achieves the same oil recovery effect at 1/15 the concentration of DDPA in Xinjiang oilfield simulations.
- Combining DDBS with SDS reduces interfacial tension to 0.0301 mN m−1, significantly improving performance.

## Abstract

To investigate the specific performance enhancement of oilfield surfactants by using sodium p-aminobenzenesulfonate as a connecting group, cationic surfactant N,N-dimethyl-N-(oxiran-2-ylmethyl)dodecan-1-aminium (DDPA) and zwitterionic gemini surfactant sodium 4-[bis(3-(dodecyldimethylamino)-2-hydroxypropyl)amino]benzenesulfonate (DDBS) were synthesized. The oil recovery performance of these surfactants was compared, revealing that DDBS outperforms DDPA in thermal stability, wettability, adsorption, and resistance to temperature and salinity variations, as well as surface/interface activity, except for emulsification. Core flooding experiments, simulating the conditions of the Xinjiang oilfield, demonstrated that DDBS can achieve the same enhanced oil recovery effect at a concentration that is 1/15 of that of DDPA. Compared with water, DDBS and DDPA can incrementally enhance recovery rates by 7.9% and 8.5%. Furthermore, the synergistic formulation of DDBS with sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate (SDS) significantly optimized performance, achieving a reduction in interfacial tension to 0.0301 mN m−1. This study provides a research and data foundation for the application of new surfactants in petroleum extraction.