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A Stabilizer that Enhances the Oil Recovery Process Using Silica-Based Nanofluids

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Abstract

This study investigates the effect of a stabilizer on nanofluid stability and incremental oil during the enhanced oil recovery process. Untreated nanoparticles tend to form aggregates that are larger than the primary particle size when dispersed in liquid. This phenomenon affects the flooding process because the particles will be retained at the inlet injection point rather than be transported through a porous medium. A non-toxic (environmentally friendly) stabilizer, polyvinylpyrrolidone, is studied that successfully improves the stability of silica-based nanofluids at a particular time and temperature. In addition, it alters nanofluids properties such as the surface conductivity, pH, viscosity, and the particle size distribution that takes into account the nanofluids stability. During coreflooding as a tertiary process, improving the stability of nanofluids significantly affects the increase in oil recovery. These investigations will go beyond the nanofluids restriction at higher concentrations (e.g., 0.1 wt% or higher). Stability is observed as an important parameter in accomplishing successful nanofluids for enhanced oil recovery process.

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Abbreviations

COBR:

Crude oil/brine/rock

D :

True diameter of the drop

Dapp:

Measured drop diameter

EDX:

Energy-dispersive X-ray

EOR:

Enhanced oil recovery

IFT:

Interfacial tension

\(I_\mathrm{w}\) :

Wettability index

\(J_\mathrm{D}\) :

Correction factor

L/D :

Aspect ratio

Nano-EOR:

Nanofluid as an enhanced oil recovery/tertiary process

NF:

Nanoflooding as a tertiary process

NPs:

Nanoparticles

PV:

Pore volume

RRF:

Residual resistance factor

SEM:

Scanning electron microscope

SSW:

Synthetic seawater

SWW:

Strongly water-wet

\(S_\mathrm{or}\) :

Residual oil saturation

\(S_\mathrm{wi}\) :

Initial water saturation

XRD:

X-ray diffraction

vdW:

van der Waals forces

WF:

Waterflood as a secondary flooding process

WC:

Water cut

wt%:

Weight percentage

\(\sigma _\mathrm{l}\) :

Interfacial tension components of the liquid phase

\(\sigma _\mathrm{s}\) :

Interfacial tension components of the solid phase

\(\sigma _\mathrm{sl}\) :

Interfacial tension between the liquid and solid phases

\(\theta \) :

Contact angle

\(\Delta \rho \) :

Density difference

\(\varOmega \) :

Rotational rate of the cylinder

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Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge Evonik Industries AG for providing nanoparticles and the Department of Petroleum Engineering and Applied Geophysics (NTNU) for their financial support and permission to publish this article.

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Correspondence to Luky Hendraningrat.

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Hendraningrat, L., Torsæter, O. A Stabilizer that Enhances the Oil Recovery Process Using Silica-Based Nanofluids. Transp Porous Med 108, 679–696 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11242-015-0495-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11242-015-0495-8

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