Abstract

The main objective of this research is to develop chemicals, produced from local material, for enhanced oil recovery (EOR). The chemicals used in this experiment should meet the following requirements: 1) easily found in Indonesia, 2) inexpensive, 3) industrial waste, 4) high recoverability, and 5) not a petroleum derivatives. Lignin from waste of palm oil industries is among favourable candidates, since Indonesia is the second largest palm oil industry in the world with an annual production of 4.7 million tons. This waste is usually used as solid fuel. However its calorific value is low in order to yield valuable products. One possible way to handle this waste is either by pyrolysing or hydrolysing the palm oil fibers. Another candidate of EOR chemical is lignin from black liquor, a waste product of the pulp industries.

The research can be basically divided into two parts: (1) development of chemicals from pulp and palm oil industries, and (2) oil displacement process. The development of chemicals for EOR that are applicable in oil reservoirs have been accomplished. In the process, isolation of lignin from black liquor, and pyrolysis and hydrolysis of palm oil fruit fibers and stems were conducted.

The oil displacement shows that as much as 20% to 80% of the residual oil after water flooding can be recovered by flooding it with the chemicals thathave been developed.