Cardanol/SiO₂ Nanocomposites for Inhibition of Formation Damage by Asphaltene Precipitation/Deposition in Light Crude Oil Reservoirs. Part I: Novel Nanocomposite Design Based on SiO₂–Cardanol Interactions

Abstract

This study aims to design a novel green nanocomposite based on the synergistic effect between silica nanoparticles (SN) and cardanol (CDN). The latter is an environmentally friendly dispersant compound extracted from the cashew nut shell waste. Three cardanol/SiO2 nanocomposites were synthesized and named as 5CSN, 7CSN, and 9CSN based on the mass fraction of cardanol on the surface of the SiO2 nanoparticles of 5, 7, and 9%, respectively. The nanocomposites were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and total surface acidity through temperature-programmed desorption of NH3 (TPD-NH3). The binding of CDN molecules on the SiO2 surface precedes an increase in hydrodynamic diameter and total surface acidity due to the exposure of the meta-alkyl chain, phenolic −OH groups, and aromatic rings on the nanocomposite surface. Besides, cardanol/SiO2 interactions were explained from adsorption/desorption isotherms, showing a behavior type I under IUPAC classification. Findings suggest that CDN molecules were highly desorbed, especially at CDN initial dosages of up to 25,000 mgh·L–1 with CDN desorbed percentages over 30.5%. Last, the nanocomposites were evaluated as inhibitors of the asphaltene precipitation/deposition through adsorption isotherms and aggregation kinetics of asphaltene. CDN attached to SiO2 nanoparticles leads to a heterogeneous surface with several functional groups that promote the asphaltene uptake and the reduction of their aggregate size. A higher amount of CDN on the SiO2 surface promotes a surface with high heterogeneity favoring its capability to interact with the asphaltene aggregates. It was found that the adsorption of n-C7 asphaltenes onto the surface of the nanocomposite leads to a decrease in the available asphaltenes in the bulk solution, which reduce the collision and fragmentation phenomena of the asphaltene aggregates, leading to reductions in the aggregate sizes of 31.5, 50.9, 57.5, and 58.5% in the presence of SN, 5CSN, 7CSN, and 9CSN, respectively, at a fixed nanocomposite dosage of 500 mg·L–1. Thus, based on the decrease of the mean aggregate size in the liquid phase and the n-C7 asphaltene affinity toward the nanocomposite surface, the evaluated nanomaterials exhibit the following trend: 9CSN > 7CSN > 5CSN > SN. This approach provides an understanding of the role of CDN nanocomposites in the inhibition of asphaltene formation damage via the capture of heavy oil fraction and the decrease of the size of the aggregate in the oil matrix.

Potential Application of Fe2O3 and Functionalized SiO2 Nanoparticles for Inhibiting Asphaltene Precipitation in Live Oil at Reservoir Conditions

“…They concluded that used nanoparticles were effective on suppressing the onset point and reducing the amount of precipitated asphaltenes. López et al investigated the effects of Cardanol/SiO 2 nanocomposites on formation damage by asphaltene precipitation in an asphaltene model solution . They stated that adsorption of n- C 7 asphaltenes onto the surfaces of the Cardanol/SiO 2 nanocomposites decreased the amount of asphaltenes in the bulk solution and lessened the aggregation process.…”

Cardanol /SiO2 Nanocomposites for Inhibition of Formation Damage by Asphaltene Precipitation/Deposition in Light Crude Oil Reservoirs. Part II: Nanocomposite Evaluation and Coreflooding Test

“…The following section shows the obtained results in terms of the interactions of the SN and CSN nanofluids with the reservoir fluids and rock surface. Considering previous results obtained in the asphaltene adsorption and aggregation tests of n -C 7 asphaltenes in n -heptane/toluene (60/40 volume fraction), in this section, the SN, 5CSN, 7CSN, and 9CSN were evaluated through contact angle and interfacial tension measurements at a nanoparticle concentration of 500 mg·L –1 to determine the nanocomposites with the best behavior in the proposed tests, as detailed in Figure S1. In section , the selected nanoparticles were evaluated at 100 and 300 mg·L –1 to determine the effect of the nanoparticle dosage in the modification wettability and IFT .…”

“…Therefore, the main objective of this study is to investigate the applicability of CSN in the asphaltene formation damage inhibition at reservoir conditions based on the IFT, contact angle, imbibition, and coreflooding tests. The study is divided into two parts, Part I: nanocomposite design through SiO 2 –cardanol interactions and Part II: Nanocomposite evaluation and coreflooding test. In the first part, three green nanocomposites of cardanol/SiO 2 were obtained via the anchoring of the cardanol molecules in the nanoparticle surface through the incipient wetness method.…”

“…Furthermore, cardanol/SiO 2 nanocomposites show a surface composed of Si–OH and several organic functional groups that improve the asphaltene uptake and reduce the aggregate size of the n -C 7 asphaltenes in the oil matrix. The high affinity that exhibits the n -C 7 asphaltenes for the surface of the nanocomposite leads to reductions up to 58.8% in the mean asphaltene aggregate size . This part is focused on the study of the nanocomposite/reservoir fluid and nanocomposite/rock surface interactions using a systematic experimental procedure based on spontaneous imbibition, contact angles, and interfacial tension tests for the selection of the nanocomposite concentration (see Figure S1) in a conventional organic treatment to determine the viability for the asphaltene formation damage inhibition at reservoir conditions.…”

Simultaneous Control of Formation and Growth of Asphaltene Solids and Wax Crystals Using Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes: an Experimental Study under Real Oilfield Conditions

“…Due to the recent developments in nanoscience, nanotechnology has exhibited potential applications in different sections of the petroleum industry, such as exploration and production, drilling operations, enhanced oil recovery (EOR), and petrochemical refinery processes. − The potential of nanostructured materials is attributed to their unique properties, such as a large specific surface area, high mechanical and thermal stability, biocompatibility, or electroactivity. These tempting properties make some of them attractive as green chemicals for many situations. − Nanoparticles and nanofluids have gained great attention as an efficient alternative solution to traditional techniques for the mitigation of issues induced by asphaltene and wax precipitation and deposition. ,− …”