US Patent 11912925 Compositions for enhanced oil recovery

Disclosed herein are compositions and methods for increasing recovery, or flowback, of hydrocarbon compounds from hydrocarbon-containing subterranean fractured rock formations (tight shale reservoirs). The flowback compositions include an anionic dimer surfactant, an anionic monomer surfactant, and a demulsifier. The flowback compositions convert oil-wet rocks to water-wet, yet exhibit a low tendency of composition components to sorb to the rock. The flowback compositions do not cause formation of emulsions with hydrocarbon compounds within the subterranean fractured rock formations. The flowback composition are useful for increasing the yield of hydrocarbons recovered from tight shale reservoirs.