Foam from low cost petroleum sulfonate surfactants for fracturing along with wettability alteration

A method for hydraulic fracturing of a hydrocarbon-bearing formation, the method comprising the steps of:

• preparing a nanosurfactant composition, the nanosurfactant composition formed by the steps of:
• combining a sulfonate surfactant, an oil, and fresh water to form a first mixture;
• combining a zwitterionic co-surfactant and the fresh water to form a second mixture;
• combining the first mixture and the second mixture to form a third mixture;
• and
• combining the third mixture and saline water to form the nanosurfactant composition, the saline water comprising divalent cations, the nanosurfactant composition comprising a nanoassembly,
• wherein the nanoassembly has a hydrophobic interior and a hydrophilic exterior, the hydrophobic interior comprising the sulfonate surfactant, a hydrophobic portion of the zwitterionic co-surfactant, and the oil, the hydrophilic exterior comprising a hydrophilic portion of the zwitterionic co-surfactant,
• wherein the hydrophilic portion of the zwitterionic co-surfactant stabilizes the nanoassembly by interacting with the divalent cations present in the saline water,
• wherein the oil facilitates containment of the sulfonate surfactant in the hydrophobic interior of the nanoassembly;
• and
• introducing the nanosurfactant composition and a gaseous component into the hydrocarbon-bearing formation such that a nanosurfactant-based foam is generated, wherein the nanosurfactant-based foam generates a fracture in the hydrocarbon-bearing formation;
• introducing a proppant into the fracture to prevent the fracture from closing.