Abstract: Compositions suitable for enhanced oil recovery comprising a) a mixture of a-sulfocarbonyl compounds of from 1:99 to 99:1 wherein R1, R3 and R5, which may be the same or different at each occurrence, are hydrogen or a linear or branched alkyl chain having 1 to 20 carbon atoms, R2 and R4, which may be the same or different at each occurrence, may be a linear or branched alkyl group having 4 to 24 carbon atoms and in which the alkyl chain may comprise one or more cycloaliphatic groups, and X is H or a metal forming a salt with the sulfonate group, and b) a salt containing aqueous solution.