Journal of Engineering Research
Innovation and Scientific Development

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1Johnbull Okperhie,  2Praise O. Agbab,  3Michael C. Ogbue,  4Blessing E. Eboibi,  5Kigho M. Oghenejoboh, 

1. 1  Department of Petroleum Engineering, Delta State University, Abraka, Nigeria.
2. 2  Department of Petroleum Engineering, Delta State University, Abraka, Nigeria.
3. 3  Department of Petroleum Engineering, Delta State University, Abraka, Nigeria.
4. 4  Department of Chemical Engineering, Delta State University, Abraka, Nigeria.
5. 5  Department of Chemical Engineering, Delta State University, Abraka, Nigeria.

doi https://doi.org/10.61448/jerisd32259

Abstract

Various techniques are employed to enhance oil recovery, with the primary goal of increasing hydrocarbon saturation and maximising oil extraction from reservoirs. Primary and secondary recovery methods typically recover only a fraction of the original oil in place, leaving significant amounts unrecovered. This study investigates the potential of plantain stem sap (PSS) as an alternative, non-toxic, and biodegradable chemical for enhancing oil recovery from sandstone reservoirs. Eight different core samples were used to evaluate the recovery factor of PSS and a sharp sand solution. The secondary recovery process was conducted using varying concentrations of PSS, including standalone and combined solutions (50% water and 50% PSS), which were further applied in the tertiary recovery stage. The core samples were characterised using SEM, FT-IR, and XRF, following ASTM methods. The results indicate that PSS can significantly enhance oil recovery, with maximum cumulative recoveries of 80.4%, 76.6%, and 73% achieved under different conditions. The minimum recovery of 62.1% was obtained for an oil-wet core sample with 50% PSS concentration, likely due to polymer adsorption on the rock surface.