Enhanced oil recovery by using electromagnetic-assisted nanofluids: A review

Nanoparticles in Chemical EOR: A Review on Flooding Tests

The use of nanofluids is showing promise as an enhanced oil recovery (EOR) method. Several reviews have been published focusing on the main mechanisms involved in the process. This new study, unlike previous works, aims to collect information about the most promising nano-EOR methods according to their performance in core-flooding tests. As its main contribution, it presents useful information for researchers interested in experimental application of nano-EOR methods. Additional recoveries (after brine flooding) up to 15% of the original oil in place, or higher when combined with smart water or magnetic fields, have been found with formulations consisting of simple nanoparticles in water or brine. The functionalization of nanoparticles and their combination with surfactants and/or polymers take advantage of the synergy of different EOR methods and can lead to higher additional recoveries. The cost, difficulty of preparation, and stability of the formulations have to be considered in practical applications. Additional oil recoveries shown in the reviewed papers encourage the application of the method at larger scales, but experimental limitations could be offering misleading results. More rigorous and systematic works are required to draw reliable conclusions regarding the best type and size of nanoparticles according to the application (type of rock, permeability, formation brine, reservoir conditions, other chemicals in the formulation, etc.).

12012 fundamental mechanisms behind nanotechnology applications in oil and gas: Emerging nano-EOR processes

As the important role of enhanced oil recovery (EOR) in meeting the world’s energy requirement is growing, use of nanoparticles in lieu of, or in combination with, the existing EOR agents to expand EOR’s applicable range is receiving significant attention. Two of the most actively investigated applications are: 1) wettability alteration by addition of nanoparticles into the waterflood injection water, and 2) use of nanoparticle-stabilized Pickering foams and emulsions mainly for EOR process mobility control. As comprehensive reviews are recently available on these topics, two other emerging nanoparticle applications are critically reviewed here: 1) nanoparticle addition for enhanced polymer flooding, and 2) use of magnetic nanoparticles for oil displacement control. Three and five proposed mechanisms of these two applications are critically reviewed, respectively. The most recent progresses are covered, and the challenges and possible future works are discussed.

Effective water/wastewater treatment methodologies for toxic pollutants removal: Processes and applications towards sustainable development

Release of pollutants due to inflating anthropogenic activities has a conspicuous effect on the environment. As water is uniquely vulnerable to pollution, water pollution control has received a considerable attention among the most critical environmental challenges. Diverse sources such as heavy metals, dyes, pathogenic and organic compounds lead to deterioration in water quality. Demand for the pollutant free water has created a greater concern in water treatment technologies. The pollutants can be mitigated through physical, chemical and biological methodologies thereby alleviating the health and environmental effects caused. Diverse technologies for wastewater treatment with an accentuation on pre-treatment of feedstock and post treatment are concisely summed up. Pollutants present in the water can be removed by processes some of which include filtration, reverse osmosis, degasification, sedimentation, flocculation, precipitation and adsorption. Membrane separation and adsorption methodologies utilized to control water pollution and are found to be more effective than conventional methods and established recovery processes. This audit relatively features different methodologies that show remarkable power of eliminating pollutants from wastewater. This review describes recent research development on wastewater treatment and its respective benefits/applications in field scale were discussed. Finally, the difficulties in the enhancement of treatment methodologies for pragmatic commercial application are recognized and the future viewpoints are introduced.

Hybrid Application of Nanoparticles and Polymer in Enhanced Oil Recovery Processes

Nowadays, the addition of nanoparticles to polymer solutions would be of interest; however, the feasible property of nanoparticles and their impact on oil recovery has not been investigated in more detail. This study investigates the rheology and capillary forces (interfacial tension and contact angle) of nanoparticles in the polymer performances during oil recovery processes. Thereby, a sequential injection of water, polymer, and nanoparticles; Nanosilica (SiO₂) and nano-aluminium oxide (Al₂O₃) was performed to measure the oil recovery factor. Retention decrease, capillary forces reduction, and polymer viscoelastic behavior increase have caused improved oil recovery due to the feasible mobility ratio of polymer-nanoparticle in fluid loss. The oil recovery factor for polymer flooding, polymer-Al₂O₃, and polymer-SiO₂ is 58%, 63%, and 67%, respectively. Thereby, polymer-SiO₂ flooding would provide better oil recovery than other scenarios that reduce the capillary force due to the structural disjoining pressure. According to the relative permeability curves, residual oil saturation (S_or) and water relative permeability (K_rw) are 29% and 0.3%, respectively, for polymer solution; however, for the polymer-nanoparticle solution, S_or and K_rw are 12% and 0.005%, respectively. Polymer treatment caused a dramatic decrease, rather than the water treatment effect on the contact angle. The minimum contact angle for water and polymer treatment are about 21 and 29, respectively. The contact angle decrease for polymer treatment in the presence of nanoparticles related to the surface hydrophilicity increase. Therefore, after 2000 mg L^-1 of SiO₂ concentration, there are no significant changes in contact angle.

Conformance Control in Oil Reservoirs by Citric Acid-Coated Magnetite Nanoparticles

Reservoir conformance control methods may significantly improve enhanced oil recovery technologies through reduced water production and profile correction. Excessive water production in oil and gas reservoirs leads to severe problems. Water shutoff and conformance control are, therefore, financially and environmentally advantageous for the petroleum industry. In this paper, water shutoff performance of citric acid-coated magnetite (CACM) and hematite nanoparticles (NPs) as well as polyacrylamide polymer solution in a heterogeneous and homogeneous two-dimensional micromodel is compared. A facile one-step technique is used to synthesize the CACM NPs. The NPs, which are reusable, easily prepared, and environmentally friendly, are characterized using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, and X-ray diffraction. The results confirm uniform spherical Fe₃O₄ NPs of an average diameter of 40 nm, well coated with citric acid. CACM NPs provide a high pressure drop coupled with an acceptable resistance factor and residual resistance factor owing to NP arrangement into a solid-/gel-like structure in the presence of a magnetic field. A resistance factor and a residual resistance factor of 3.5 and 2.14, respectively, were achieved for heavy oil and the heterogeneous micromodel. This structure contributed to an appreciable plugging efficiency. CACM NPs respond to ∼1000 G of magnetic field intensity and display a constant resistance factor at intensities between 4500 and 6000 G. CACM NPs act as a gel, forming a solid-/gel-like structure, which moves toward the magnetic field and thereby shuts off the produced water and increases the oil fraction. The findings of this study suggest the ability to shut off water production using specially designed magnetic field-responsive smart fluids. The application would require innovative design of field equipment.

Application of Magnetic and Dielectric Nanofluids for Electromagnetic-Assistance Enhanced Oil Recovery: A Review

Crude oil has been one of the most important natural resources since 1856, which was the first time a world refinery was constructed. However, the problem associated with trapped oil in the reservoir is a global concern. Consequently, Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) is a modern technique used to improve oil productivity that is being intensively studied. Nanoparticles (NPs) exhibited exceptional outcomes when applied in various sectors including oil and gas industries. The harshness of the reservoir situations disturbs the effective transformations of the NPs in which the particles tend to agglomerate and consequently leads to the discrimination of the NPs and their being trapped in the rock pores of the reservoir. Hence, Electromagnetic-Assisted nanofluids are very consequential in supporting the effective performance of the nanoflooding process. Several studies have shown considerable incremental oil recovery factors by employing magnetic and dielectric NPs assisted by electromagnetic radiation. This is attributed to the fact that the injected nanofluids absorb energy disaffected from the EM source, which changes the fluid mobility by creating disruptions within the fluid’s interface and allowing trapped oil to be released. This paper attempts to review the experimental work conducted via electromagnetic activation of magnetic and dielectric nanofluids for EOR and to analyze the effect of EM-assisted nanofluids on parameters such as sweeping efficiency, Interfacial tension, and wettability alteration. The current study is very significant in providing a comprehensive analysis and review of the role played by EM-assisted nanofluids to improve laboratory experiments as one of the substantial prerequisites in optimizing the process of the field application for EOR in the future.