*2.4.1 Mechanism*

In the Alkaline flooding process, the alkaline agents such as sodium hydroxide solution is injecting into the reservoirs which react with the naturally occurring organic acids in the oil in order to produce surfactants or soaps at the oil-water interface. However, the alkaline agents are less expensive than the surfactant agents, the expected incremental oil recovery by alkaline flooding has not been confirmed by field results and still remains possibility as the process is mainly dependent on the mineral composition of the reservoir rock and its oil [11].
