| dc.description.abstract | available inorganic nanoparticle candidates that are long time stable at a high
temperature and in a high-salinity water/oil environment, easily prepared in a
large-scale production with a relatively low cost, and environmentally friendly.
When exposed to fluid and injected into a reservoir, the interaction of
nanoparticles with their surroundings determines their transport behavior and
functionality. On a nanoscale, the interfacial properties between nanoparticles
and water/oil/rock have been characterized by a particle analyzer and in-situ
scanning electron microscope nanoindentation. The results link the nanoparticle
interaction and nanofluid rheology to the applied nanoparticle type, size,
concentration, and surface properties. Transportability is a pre-requisite for
nanoparticles to be useful in reservoir application, and particle retention has been
observed and measured. The stability of a nanofluid at high temperature has also
been solved using a stabilizer.
The overall investigations from this research show that hydrophilic
nanoparticles have great potential for EOR and offer benefits in challenging
reservoir conditions such as high salinity, different salt compositions, water
hardness, high temperature, different initial rock wettability, and low
permeability. The type and size of nanoparticles affects Nano-EOR performance.
It also observed that Nano-EOR performance could be maximized by optimizing
the nanofluid concentration and adding a stabilizer. By evaluating the contact
angle, pH, surface conductivity and interfacial tension as the proposed
displacement mechanisms in Nano-EOR, it was observed that wettability
alteration played a more dominant role. | nb_NO |
