Application of Nanoparticles-Based Technologies in the Oil …
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the gas streams and oil impurities from the oil. Nanotechnology also contributes to
the carbon capture and storage to long terms.
Upgradation of heavy oil and bitumen on-site is now possible due to applications of
nanotechnology (Ying and Sun 1997). High density and viscosity makes it difficult for
their transport for refining and are therefore converted with the help of nanocatalysts
on-site, making the process simpler and friendlier. These nanocatalysts also increase
the refining efficiency including for sour crude oils and extra heavy oils (Esmaeili
2011). Additionally, nanosensors are also been used for improved monitoring of the
refining process.
2.4 Enhanced Oil Recovery
The worldwide demand for energy is tremendous and meeting the needs globally is
the primary challenge of oil and gas industries. However, the number of oil-producing
wells around the globe is declining that has left the E&P industry with two options:
Either to promote discoveries of new oil fields or improve the oil-producing efficiencies of existing mature oil fields. Enhanced oil recovery (EOR) is highly addressed
for solving this problem as conventional methods fail in recovering two-thirds of the
crude oil left in many of the world’s reservoirs. Three different categories have been
formed with successful history of EOR: (1) Thermal recovery, involving injection of
steam to reduce the viscosity of the heavy oil and improving the flow of the highly
viscous oil, (2) Gas injection, involving injection of gases (CO 2 , nitrogen) which
expand bottom-hole in the wellbore region promoting recovery of residual oil, the
gases also dissolve in the oil whereby reducing the viscosity and promoting flow,
(3) Chemical EOR, involving injection of polymers to improve the sweep efficiency
of drive fluid, and injection of surfactants which lowers interfacial tension and surface tension of the oil–water interface increasing the efficiency of the water flood
(Rellegadla et al. 2017). Nanoparticles offer a broad range of mechanisms which can
improve the crude oil recovery with a better efficiency. NPs can improve the geomechanics of the reservoir by lowering the surface tension of oil, altering wettability
of reservoir rock surface. The injection fluid (water, CO 2 , surfactant solution) viscosity can be improved with addition of NPs, thereby improving mobility, increasing
oil recovery efficiency. Shah (2009) found that the viscosity of CO 2 increased to
140 times when 1% CuO NPs were added to it with small amount of dispersants
(Shah 2009). Besides, NPs have also found their use in stabilizing emulsions. Emulsification helps increase recovery efficiency, and emulsions stabilized with NPs can
withstand higher temperatures and harsh reservoir conditions for prolonged periods
of time. There are a number of other mechanisms which the NPs use for enhancing
the EOR processes. The oil and gas industries extract benefits from such mechanisms
of the NPs which are discussed further in the preceding sections.
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the gas streams and oil impurities from the oil. Nanotechnology also contributes to
the carbon capture and storage to long terms.
Upgradation of heavy oil and bitumen on-site is now possible due to applications of
nanotechnology (Ying and Sun 1997). High density and viscosity makes it difficult for
their transport for refining and are therefore converted with the help of nanocatalysts
on-site, making the process simpler and friendlier. These nanocatalysts also increase
the refining efficiency including for sour crude oils and extra heavy oils (Esmaeili
2011). Additionally, nanosensors are also been used for improved monitoring of the
refining process.
2.4 Enhanced Oil Recovery
The worldwide demand for energy is tremendous and meeting the needs globally is
the primary challenge of oil and gas industries. However, the number of oil-producing
wells around the globe is declining that has left the E&P industry with two options:
Either to promote discoveries of new oil fields or improve the oil-producing efficiencies of existing mature oil fields. Enhanced oil recovery (EOR) is highly addressed
for solving this problem as conventional methods fail in recovering two-thirds of the
crude oil left in many of the world’s reservoirs. Three different categories have been
formed with successful history of EOR: (1) Thermal recovery, involving injection of
steam to reduce the viscosity of the heavy oil and improving the flow of the highly
viscous oil, (2) Gas injection, involving injection of gases (CO 2 , nitrogen) which
expand bottom-hole in the wellbore region promoting recovery of residual oil, the
gases also dissolve in the oil whereby reducing the viscosity and promoting flow,
(3) Chemical EOR, involving injection of polymers to improve the sweep efficiency
of drive fluid, and injection of surfactants which lowers interfacial tension and surface tension of the oil–water interface increasing the efficiency of the water flood
(Rellegadla et al. 2017). Nanoparticles offer a broad range of mechanisms which can
improve the crude oil recovery with a better efficiency. NPs can improve the geomechanics of the reservoir by lowering the surface tension of oil, altering wettability
of reservoir rock surface. The injection fluid (water, CO 2 , surfactant solution) viscosity can be improved with addition of NPs, thereby improving mobility, increasing
oil recovery efficiency. Shah (2009) found that the viscosity of CO 2 increased to
140 times when 1% CuO NPs were added to it with small amount of dispersants
(Shah 2009). Besides, NPs have also found their use in stabilizing emulsions. Emulsification helps increase recovery efficiency, and emulsions stabilized with NPs can
withstand higher temperatures and harsh reservoir conditions for prolonged periods
of time. There are a number of other mechanisms which the NPs use for enhancing
the EOR processes. The oil and gas industries extract benefits from such mechanisms
of the NPs which are discussed further in the preceding sections.