Evaluation on the EOR Potential Capacity of the Synthesized Composite Silica-Core/ Polymer-Shell Nanoparticles Blended with Surfactant Systems for the HPHT Offshore Reservoir Conditions

Abstract

The authors introduce the synthetic process and the evaluation results for surfactant/polymer inorganic nanocomposite specially designed for the enhanced oil recovery (EOR) process in the high temperature and high brine-hardness offshore reservoirs. The SiO 2 nanoparticles (NPs) were introduced to the polymer matrix through the core-shell encapsulation-polymerization. New core-shell NPs were blended with surfactants in different ratios. The monodisperse particles, with the size of 50nm to 100nm identified by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), were investigated on their properties and morphology by IR spectroscopy, and thermal degradation (TGA). The blends of NPs and surfactants in brine were aged in one month in Dragon Southeast reservoir conditions to evaluate on the capacity as EOR agent. The results show that the nanocomposites produced IFT reduction and viscosity enhancement at critical concentration, high thermostability and salt-tolerance. These improved properties of core/shell NPs were suitable for producing high sweep volume and increasing crude oil displacement efficiency. The core flooding experiment was performed at 92 o C on the fractured-granite core model and brine blend of 800 ppm of surfactants and 200 ppm of core-shell NPs was injected in 0.25 PV. After water flooding, the oil saturation was reduced into 30% and by the core-shell NPs injection, the oil was displaced in 6.2% additionally. The obtained results shown the capacity of using the core-shell NPs as a really good EOR agent for HTHP offshore reservoirs.

Polystyrene nanoparticles as surfactant carriers for enhanced oil recovery

“…Nanomaterials have been evaluated to be used in the petroleum industry in some promising applications such as drilling, completion, and others applications . A great number of research projects are focused on the use of nanotechnology to EOR . Polystyrene nanoparticles (PSNP) are gaining interest in different fields .…”

The study on increase low permeability reservoir adsorption ability with nano-polymerisation emulsion

“…The results show that the nanocomposites produced IFT reduction, and in core flooding experiment, the oil saturation was reduced into 30% after water flooding and the oil was displaced in 6.2% additionally by injecting a nanoparticle with 0.25 PV (Nguyen et al, 2012). The results show that the nanocomposites produced IFT reduction, and in core flooding experiment, the oil saturation was reduced into 30% after water flooding and the oil was displaced in 6.2% additionally by injecting a nanoparticle with 0.25 PV (Nguyen et al, 2012).…”

Methods for Enhancing Recovery of Heavy Crude Oil

“…After that, as for inorganic silica core or polymer-shell nanocomposite, its build is illustrated as SiO 2 nanoparticles in the core covered with a shell of synthetic polyacrylamide polymer. The composite nature of the nanoparticles is suitable to be applied for higher temperature and salinity with the presence of hard ion that can be found in offshore reservoir [24]. Table 1 show the summary of nanotechnology method in EOR process.…”

“…• Can be an excellent EOR agent for sandstone reservoirs, especially when dispersed in ethanol. [23,24] remaining trapped hydrocarbon in the reservoir due to the pressure in the formation is reduced. Therefore, the production is either slow dramatically or stop altogether [25].…”