Project Final Report-09123-09-This project investigates whether a new surfactant imbibition concept can significantly improve oil recovery from the Bakken shale. This concept involves formulating special surfactant solutions that will alter the wettability of the formation, without causing formation damage. This alteration should promote imbibition of a dilute aqueous surfactant solution and increase oil displacement from the shale. The concept also relies on exploitation of gravity for collection and recovery of the oil in the system from natural and hydraulic fractures associated with horizontal wells.