Systems and methods for selecting surfactants for use in subterranean formations are provided. In one embodiment, the methods comprise: providing a sample of oil from at least a portion of a subterranean formation; measuring at least one of the total acid number (TAN) and the total base number (TBN) of the oil sample; and selecting a set of surfactants to evaluate for a treatment in at least a portion of the subterranean formation based on at least one of the TAN and the TBN of the oil sample, the set of surfactants selected from the group consisting of: a set of cationic surfactants, a set of anionic surfactants, and a set of zwitterionic surfactants.