Shaikhah, D. orcid.org/0000-0003-1970-2961, Loise, V. orcid.org/0000-0001-5156-5077, Angelico, R. orcid.org/0000-0002-0769-5680 et al. (7 more authors) (2024) New Trends in Biosurfactants: From Renewable Origin to Green Enhanced Oil Recovery Applications. Molecules, 29 (2). 301. ISSN 1420-3049
Abstract
Enhanced oil recovery (EOR) processes are technologies used in the oil and gas industry to maximize the extraction of residual oil from reservoirs after primary and secondary recovery methods have been carried out. The injection into the reservoir of surface-active substances capable of reducing the surface tension between oil and the rock surface should favor its extraction with significant economic repercussions. However, the most commonly used surfactants in EOR are derived from petroleum, and their use can have negative environmental impacts, such as toxicity and persistence in the environment. Biosurfactants on the other hand, are derived from renewable resources and are biodegradable, making them potentially more sustainable and environmentally friendly. The present review intends to offer an updated overview of the most significant results available in scientific literature on the potential application of biosurfactants in the context of EOR processes. Aspects such as production strategies, techniques for characterizing the mechanisms of action and the pros and cons of the application of biosurfactants as a principal method for EOR will be illustrated and discussed in detail. Optimized concepts such as the HLD in biosurfactant choice and design for EOR are also discussed. The scientific findings that are illustrated and reviewed in this paper show why general emphasis needs to be placed on the development and adoption of biosurfactants in EOR as a substantial contribution to a more sustainable and environmentally friendly oil and gas industry.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2024 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). |
Keywords: | Anthracenes; Petroleum; Surface Tension; Industry |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Engineering & Physical Sciences (Leeds) > School of Mechanical Engineering (Leeds) > Institute of Functional Surfaces (Leeds) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 04 Apr 2024 10:37 |
Last Modified: | 04 Apr 2024 10:37 |
Published Version: | http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/molecules29020301 |
Status: | Published online |
Publisher: | MDPI AG |
Identification Number: | https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29020301 |
Related URLs: |