Application of Nanoparticles-Based Technologies in the Oil …
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emulsification activities. However, there are many important challenges still faced
by these methods.
Nanoparticles-enhanced oil recovery or NEOR is a novel technique, currently
developed to overcome the limitations of such earlier applied methods. Different
types of nanoparticles have been synthesized till date, and the process for their application in increasing the efficiency for oil recovery has started. The oil-producing
companies today face peer pressure due to the reduced efficiency of available technologies to recover crude oil to meet the energy demands. Also, new geological
discoveries are taking place and require more intricate technologies for the production of crude oil in order to maximize the recovery potential. Nanotechnology has the
capability of increasing the potential of both the upstream and downstream processes
of the oil industries. It provides a wide range of materials and processes to be applied
in the oil fields. Such novel techniques employing the nanomaterials for different
oil processes have been explored in laboratory simulated conditions, as well as been
developed for the field processes.
Nanoparticles (NPs) are particles in the nanodimensions with size ranging from
1 to 100 nm. These particles offer many advantages in the field of oil recovery.
Nanodimensional Size: The major problem faced during enhanced oil recovery is
the recovery of crude oil from thief zones. These areas are the small pores in the oil
that are trapped and not mobilized in the continuum of drive fluid. Though it appears
to be a smaller segment of the reservoir but as a whole it contributes to a larger part
of residual oil in place (ROIP). Besides, such spaces are also held responsible for the
trapping of injected chemicals, thereby leading to the damage of the formation by
reducing formation permeability and increasing the economics of flooding (Ahmadi
et al. 2011).
The nanoparticles used commonly for the application of EOR range in the dimensions of 10–100 nm (SiO 2 , TiO 2 , Al 2 O 3 , etc.), which is smaller compared to the pore
throats or thief zones (Alomair et al. 2014). Hence, the NPs improve the flooding
potential through the porous media without reducing permeability and increasing
recovery from thief zones. Altogether, NPs can increase the microscopic sweep
efficiency with increased area of contact.
Increased Area of Contact (High Surface to Volume Area): With reduced size,
the NPs have a larger surface area and therefore have a larger area of contact in the
swept zone. For the same volume and mass of the sample, the number of particles
increases with reducing size, thereby increasing the overall surface area contributed
by the particles. This increased surface area increases the proportion of atoms on the
surface of NPs (Zhang and Liu 2001).
Lower Cost of Application with Reduced Pressure on Environment: A wide
range of chemicals have been applied in the oilfields as a part of chemical enhanced
oil recovery process. These injected fluids possess risk to the environment affecting
the bottom-hole as well as in the produced water. Besides, the cost of application of
such chemicals is higher, and therefore, it further raises the economics of the overall
recovery. Application of NPs and nanofluids is cheaper and offers advantage to such
259
emulsification activities. However, there are many important challenges still faced
by these methods.
Nanoparticles-enhanced oil recovery or NEOR is a novel technique, currently
developed to overcome the limitations of such earlier applied methods. Different
types of nanoparticles have been synthesized till date, and the process for their application in increasing the efficiency for oil recovery has started. The oil-producing
companies today face peer pressure due to the reduced efficiency of available technologies to recover crude oil to meet the energy demands. Also, new geological
discoveries are taking place and require more intricate technologies for the production of crude oil in order to maximize the recovery potential. Nanotechnology has the
capability of increasing the potential of both the upstream and downstream processes
of the oil industries. It provides a wide range of materials and processes to be applied
in the oil fields. Such novel techniques employing the nanomaterials for different
oil processes have been explored in laboratory simulated conditions, as well as been
developed for the field processes.
Nanoparticles (NPs) are particles in the nanodimensions with size ranging from
1 to 100 nm. These particles offer many advantages in the field of oil recovery.
Nanodimensional Size: The major problem faced during enhanced oil recovery is
the recovery of crude oil from thief zones. These areas are the small pores in the oil
that are trapped and not mobilized in the continuum of drive fluid. Though it appears
to be a smaller segment of the reservoir but as a whole it contributes to a larger part
of residual oil in place (ROIP). Besides, such spaces are also held responsible for the
trapping of injected chemicals, thereby leading to the damage of the formation by
reducing formation permeability and increasing the economics of flooding (Ahmadi
et al. 2011).
The nanoparticles used commonly for the application of EOR range in the dimensions of 10–100 nm (SiO 2 , TiO 2 , Al 2 O 3 , etc.), which is smaller compared to the pore
throats or thief zones (Alomair et al. 2014). Hence, the NPs improve the flooding
potential through the porous media without reducing permeability and increasing
recovery from thief zones. Altogether, NPs can increase the microscopic sweep
efficiency with increased area of contact.
Increased Area of Contact (High Surface to Volume Area): With reduced size,
the NPs have a larger surface area and therefore have a larger area of contact in the
swept zone. For the same volume and mass of the sample, the number of particles
increases with reducing size, thereby increasing the overall surface area contributed
by the particles. This increased surface area increases the proportion of atoms on the
surface of NPs (Zhang and Liu 2001).
Lower Cost of Application with Reduced Pressure on Environment: A wide
range of chemicals have been applied in the oilfields as a part of chemical enhanced
oil recovery process. These injected fluids possess risk to the environment affecting
the bottom-hole as well as in the produced water. Besides, the cost of application of
such chemicals is higher, and therefore, it further raises the economics of the overall
recovery. Application of NPs and nanofluids is cheaper and offers advantage to such