Assessment of xanthan gum and xanthan-g-silica derivatives as chemical flooding agents and rock wettability modifiers

Currently, biomolecules flooding in the underground reservoirs acquires sustainable interest owing to their availability and eco-friendly properties. The current study reported chemical displacement by xanthan gum as well as xanthan/SiO2 and xanthan grafted with vinylsilane derivatives. Chemical characterization evaluated by traditional spectroscopic methods. Investigation of fluids response to reservoir environment assessed through rheological performance relative to shearing rate, ionic strength, and thermal stability. A sequence of flooding runs generated on 10 sandstone outcrops with different porosity and permeabilities. Core wetness assessed through relative permeability curves at different water saturation. The flooding tests indicate that grafting of the silica derivative overcome the shortage of xanthan solution in flooding operations relative to the reservoir conditions. The ability of the flooding solutions to alter rock wettability explored through relative permeability curves at different water saturation. The results reveal that the synthesized composite was a promised agent for enhancing oil recovery and profile conformance.