Patent ID: 11530348

Abstract:
Provided is a composition that may include a mixture of an ionic liquid and a surfactant in an aqueous composition, where a carbonaceous hydrocarbon-bearing formation has a wettability value and comprises hydrocarbons, where there is an interfacial tension value between the aqueous composition and hydrocarbons present in the carbonaceous hydrocarbon-bearing formation, where the aqueous solution may be configured to modify the wettability value of the carbonaceous hydrocarbon-bearing formation from a first value to a second value that is more water-wet than the first value, and where the presence of the ionic liquid in the aqueous composition may not substantially impact the value for interfacial tension between the hydrocarbons in the carbonaceous hydrocarbon-bearing formation and the aqueous composition. Further provided is a method that may introduce the aqueous composition into a carbonaceous hydrocarbon-bearing formation.