U.S. shale producers are increasingly using advanced chemical surfactants to release more oil from tight rock and boost recovery from existing wells. Chevron has deployed its proprietary treatment in more than 600 wells, while Ovintiv says surfactants have helped improve Permian oil productivity by around 9%.
Combined with AI, longer laterals, and improved stimulation techniques, surfactants could help sustain U.S. shale growth despite declining well productivity and fewer rigs.
Chevron, for example, has developed a proprietary chemical technology to address the problem that only about 10% of the oil trapped in the shale and tight formation ever reaches the surface.
A simple way to think about this chemical treatment is like washing grease off your hands with soap and water, says Johannes Alvarez, Chevron’s enhanced oil recovery manager.
This extraction method with surfactants helps loosen oil from the rock, making it easier for oil to move through tiny spaces.
Chevron is also commercializing its proprietary technology under a technology licensing agreement with ZL Chemicals.
