Microemulsified Systems and Their Environmental Advantages for the Oil Industry

Microemulsified systems are being used more frequently in several industrial processes, such as in the oil industry. Many microemulsified systems present formulations based on natural components, which turn them less harmful to the environment, with biodegradability and value for money being considered critical factors. Several phases can exist in equilibrium in microemulsified systems; however, the main objective is to identify compositions that form a single phase when mixed. Surfactants have as their main characteristic the double polarity: a hydrophilic region with an affinity for the aqueous phase and a hydrophobic region with an affinity for the organic phase. Depending on the surfactant characteristics, the microemulsions formed can be oil-in-water (O/W) or water-in-oil (W/O). The oil and natural gas industry search for environmentally-friendly products; thereby, preflush fluids and drilling fluids are developed based on biodegradable components to reduce environmental impacts, e.g., vegetable oils in the formulation of these fluids have shown incredible significance. Drilling fluids play an important role because they offer a favorable environment for effective and efficient drilling, thus improving well productivity. Preflush fluids are cleaning fluids used during the cementing operations for removing the filter cake formed in the wellbore walls by the drilling fluid and inverting the rock formation wettability. The correct fluid choice is essential in the drilling and cementing operations because it directly influences the operation’s quality and costs.