Significant amounts of oil remain in the reservoir after primary and secondary operations, and to recover the remaining oil, enhanced oil recovery (EOR) can be applied as one of the feasible options remaining nowadays. In this study, new nano-polymeric materials have been prepared from purple yam and cassava starches. The yield of purple yam nanoparticles (PYNPs) was 85%, and that of cassava nanoparticles (CSNPs) was 90.53%. Synthesized materials were characterized through particle size distribution (PSA), Zeta potential distribution, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The performance of PYNPs in recovering oil was better than CSNPs, as found from the recovery experiments. Zeta potential distribution results confirmed the stability of PYNPs over CSNPs (−36.3 mV for PYNPs and −10.7 mV for CSNPs). The optimum concentration for these nanoparticles has been found from interfacial tension measurements and rheological properties, and it was 0.60 wt.% for PYNPs and 0.80 wt.% for CSNPs. A more incremental recovery (33.46%) was achieved for the polymer that contained PYNPs in comparison to the other nano-polymer (31.3%). This paves the way for a new technology for polymer flooding that may replace the conventional method, which depends on partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (HPAM).

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The continued burning of fossil fuels since the beginning of the last century led to higher emissions of greenhouse gases and thus leads to global warming. Microalgae are one of the most important sources of green hydrocarbons because this type of algae has a high percentage of lipids and has rapid growth, consumes the carbon dioxide in large quantities. Besides, the cultivation of these types of algae does not require arable land. This review aims to explain the suitability of microalgae as a biofuel source depending on the fat content, morphology, and other parameters and their effect on the conversion processes of microalgae oil into biofuels by different zeolite catalytic reactions. It also discusses in detail the major chemical processes that convert microalgae oil to chemical products. This review sheds light on one of the most important groups of microalgae (Chlorella vulgaris microalgae). This review includes a historical overview and a comprehensive description of the structure needed to develop this type of algae. The most important methods of production, their advantages and disadvantages are also deliberated in this work. Copyright © 2021 by Authors, Published by BCREC Group. This is an open access article under the CC BY-SA License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0).

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