Experimental determination of protein enzyme bio-surfactant properties forenhanced oil recovery

The properties of Protein enzyme biosurfactant, a green-enzyme, water-based inert-enzyme generated fromthe DNA of microbes that eat oil was studied to ascertain its applicability in EOR processes. A light crudeoil of 0.908 g/cc at 22°C density and 53.87 cp viscosity was used in this study with a kinematic viscositywhich was variable between 90.654 mm2/s to 13.7544 mm2/s between temperatures of 22.5 °C to 70 °Cwith a measured surface tension of about 35 mN/m. The bio-surfactant yielded a CMC value of 0.02 wt.%which is comparable to reported CMC values of other surfactants. The least IFT value measured was 4.0mN/m, which is very high for a very efficient and effective residual oil recovery (an ultralow IFT of about0.01mN/m is required of which was achievable by Rhamnolipid a bio-surfactant studied alongside ProteinEnzyme in this work). Ionic (0.083M to 3.0M) and temperature (23 to 70 °C) effects did not have muchinfluence on the activities of bio-surfactant, thus quite stable within such conditions. The protein-enzymehas the ability to form a Winsor type III emulsion and stable over the period of time studied. Adsorptionwas noticed especially with higher bio-surfactant concentrations but tends to be stable over time.