Novel PLA-Henna composite for sustainable tertiary enhanced oil recovery.

Enhanced oil recovery (EOR) remains a critical focus for the petroleum industry, aiming to overcome the challenges of residual oil mobilization and maximize hydrocarbon recovery in increasingly complex reservoirs. This study introduces an innovative approach using synthesized Polylactic Acid (PLA)/Henna composites as an environmentally sustainable additive to enhance oil recovery through mechanisms such as interfacial tension (IFT) reduction, wettability alteration, and physical sweeping for improved fluid sweep efficiency. The composite was synthesized using extrusion techniques to ensure a uniform filler dispersion and was extensively characterized through FTIR, SEM, and EDS analyses.