For heavy oil fields, the residual oil after water flooding is largely bypassed due to viscous fingering caused by the adverse mobility ratio between oil and water, not mainly due to capillary trapping as with conventional oil. Oil Chem Technologies Super Flow Series of surfactants for the recovery of heavy oils are designed to be applied to reservoirs containing oils of 12 to 18 API gravity and viscosities well above 10,000 cps. These surfactants are used at low concentration levels and help reduce viscosity by forming a water-external pseudo-emulsion.

The Super Flow series is an economical alternative to other heavy oil recovery techniques such as steam flooding. They give excellent oil recoveries without forming stable emulsions. A wide range of temperatures, brine TDS and hardness can be tolerated by these surfactants. The Super Flow series also improves injectivity in tight formations.