Interaction of Nanoparticles with Reservoir Fluids and Rocks …
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energy is more, cluster of atoms likely to get adsorbed on the surface. Adsorption
energy is found to be very high for zinc nanoparticles on calcite surface. Hassan
et al. (2018) state that on the adsorption of zinc oxide nanoparticles, the wettability
of surface changes. It indicates that the zinc oxide nanoparticles have a significant
impact in altering the wettability of calcite surface.
3.2.3 Effect of Iron Oxide Nanoparticles
Iron oxide usually exists in three different forms such as ferrous oxide (FeO), ferric
oxide (Fe 2 O 3 ), and magnetite (Fe 3 O 4 ). They have attracted extensively due to their
magnetic properties and their potential application in many fields. As a consequence
of this researchers have tried the fate of iron oxide nanoparticles in the field of
EOR. To study the effect of wettability of nanoparticles on the oil–water system,
numbers of the experiment have been carried out with iron oxide (Fe 2 O 3 ) (20–35 nm)
nanoparticles. Wettability of the oil–water system on the surface of the sandstone
rocks was justified by contact angle measurement. It was found that iron oxide
nanoparticles have negligible effect in altering the wettability of oil–water system
on the reservoir rocks (Joonaki and Ghanaatian 2014). It can be concluded that the
role of iron oxide nanoparticles has very less influence on the enhanced oil recovery
in terms of wettability alteration.
3.3 Viscosity
It is the properties of a fluid by which fluid offers resistance to the flow. It is the
internal friction of moving the fluid. In EOR, the viscosity of the displacing fluid
should be more than the displaced fluid. In the case of water flooding, displacing
fluid is injected water and displaced fluid is oil. The viscosity of displacing fluid
can be increased by the addition of polymer in the base fluid (Kamibayashi et al.
2005). Commonly used polymer is polyacrylamide (PAM). It is a long chain organic
polymer soluble in water. It forms a colorless nontoxic, nonhazardous solution with
water. In addition to this hydrolyzed polyacrylamide and xanthan gum are also used.
Application of such polymer in enhancing oil recovery process is known as polymer
flooding EOR methods. Viscosity is one of the important rheological properties of
the injected fluid which can be evaluated by viscometer or rheometer. However, the
potential effect of various nanoparticles on viscosity of crude oil and injected fluid
is described below for enhancing oil recovery.
3.3.1 Effect of Silica Nanoparticles
Commonly used nanoparticles in EOR for reduction of viscosity of crude oil are
silicon dioxide (SiO 2 ) for its cost-effective and eco-friendly nature. Viscosity is the
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energy is more, cluster of atoms likely to get adsorbed on the surface. Adsorption
energy is found to be very high for zinc nanoparticles on calcite surface. Hassan
et al. (2018) state that on the adsorption of zinc oxide nanoparticles, the wettability
of surface changes. It indicates that the zinc oxide nanoparticles have a significant
impact in altering the wettability of calcite surface.
3.2.3 Effect of Iron Oxide Nanoparticles
Iron oxide usually exists in three different forms such as ferrous oxide (FeO), ferric
oxide (Fe 2 O 3 ), and magnetite (Fe 3 O 4 ). They have attracted extensively due to their
magnetic properties and their potential application in many fields. As a consequence
of this researchers have tried the fate of iron oxide nanoparticles in the field of
EOR. To study the effect of wettability of nanoparticles on the oil–water system,
numbers of the experiment have been carried out with iron oxide (Fe 2 O 3 ) (20–35 nm)
nanoparticles. Wettability of the oil–water system on the surface of the sandstone
rocks was justified by contact angle measurement. It was found that iron oxide
nanoparticles have negligible effect in altering the wettability of oil–water system
on the reservoir rocks (Joonaki and Ghanaatian 2014). It can be concluded that the
role of iron oxide nanoparticles has very less influence on the enhanced oil recovery
in terms of wettability alteration.
3.3 Viscosity
It is the properties of a fluid by which fluid offers resistance to the flow. It is the
internal friction of moving the fluid. In EOR, the viscosity of the displacing fluid
should be more than the displaced fluid. In the case of water flooding, displacing
fluid is injected water and displaced fluid is oil. The viscosity of displacing fluid
can be increased by the addition of polymer in the base fluid (Kamibayashi et al.
2005). Commonly used polymer is polyacrylamide (PAM). It is a long chain organic
polymer soluble in water. It forms a colorless nontoxic, nonhazardous solution with
water. In addition to this hydrolyzed polyacrylamide and xanthan gum are also used.
Application of such polymer in enhancing oil recovery process is known as polymer
flooding EOR methods. Viscosity is one of the important rheological properties of
the injected fluid which can be evaluated by viscometer or rheometer. However, the
potential effect of various nanoparticles on viscosity of crude oil and injected fluid
is described below for enhancing oil recovery.
3.3.1 Effect of Silica Nanoparticles
Commonly used nanoparticles in EOR for reduction of viscosity of crude oil are
silicon dioxide (SiO 2 ) for its cost-effective and eco-friendly nature. Viscosity is the