Spontaneous Imbibition Oil Recovery by Natural Surfactant/Nanofluid: An Experimental and Theoretical Study

Abstract

Organic surfactants have been utilized with different nanoparticles in enhanced oil recovery (EOR) operations due to the synergic mechanisms of nanofluid stabilization, wettability alteration, and oil-water interfacial tension reduction. However, investment and environmental issues are the main concerns to make the operation more practical. The present study introduces a natural and cost-effective surfactant named Azarboo for modifying the surface traits of silica nanoparticles for more efficient EOR. Surface-modified nanoparticles were synthesized by conjugating negatively charged Azarboo surfactant on positively charged amino-treated silica nanoparticles. The effect of the hybrid application of the natural surfactant and amine-modified silica nanoparticles was investigated by analysis of wettability alteration. Amine-surfactant-functionalized silica nanoparticles were found to be more effective than typical nanoparticles. Amott cell experiments showed maximum imbibition oil recovery after nine days of treatment with amine-surfactant-modified nanoparticles and fifteen days of treatment with amine-modified nanoparticles. This finding confirmed the superior potential of amine-surfactant-modified silica nanoparticles compared to amine-modified silica nanoparticles. Modeling showed that amine surfactant-treated SiO2 could change wettability from strongly oil-wet to almost strongly water-wet. In the case of amine-treated silica nanoparticles, a strongly water-wet condition was not achieved. Oil displacement experiments confirmed the better performance of amine-surfactant-treated SiO2 nanoparticles compared to amine-treated SiO2 by improving oil recovery by 15%. Overall, a synergistic effect between Azarboo surfactant and amine-modified silica nanoparticles led to wettability alteration and higher oil recovery.

Oil Production Mechanism of Water Injection Huff-n-Puff for Enhancing Oil Recovery in Tight Sandstone Reservoir

“…Part of the crude oil at in-depth is exchanged to near the fracture. The imbibition oil recovery is closely related to reservoir permeability, interfacial tension, wettability, and oil viscosity. , After soaking for a period of time, the well is opened and produced. The formed high-pressure energy establishes a displacement relationship with the oil in the pores, forming the driving force for the reverse unsteady displacement of oil.…”

Influence of Nanoparticle–Surfactant Compound Solution on Coal Wettability

“…Khoramian et al developed surface-modified nanoparticles by synthesizing surfactant Azarboo with silica nanoparticles and demonstrated that these modified nanoparticles could enhance oil recovery, as evidenced by changes in sample wettability. 31 Liu et al investigated the optimal formulation of nanoparticle− surfactant compound solutions for varying enhanced oil recovery (EOR) objectives. 32 Additionally, Hou et al, utilizing the HWBE process, examined the synergistic effects of nanoparticle−surfactant compound solution on improving the recovery efficiency of carbonate bituminous rocks.…”

“…Khoramian et al. developed surface-modified nanoparticles by synthesizing surfactant Azarboo with silica nanoparticles and demonstrated that these modified nanoparticles could enhance oil recovery, as evidenced by changes in sample wettability . Liu et al investigated the optimal formulation of nanoparticle–surfactant compound solutions for varying enhanced oil recovery (EOR) objectives .…”

Facile Fabrication of a Robust Superhydrophilic/Underwater Superoleophobic Material for Oil-Fouling Expulsion

“…An alternative strategy involves removing the fouled oil from surfaces through cleaning following the occurrence of oil fouling. However, this approach usually requires various surfactants and detergents, − which generate emulsion wastewater and cause metal surface corrosion. Thus, the self-cleaning of fouled surfaces, by in situ photodegradation, − has been investigated.…”