A team of scientists from the Siberian Federal University, together with colleagues from Novosibirsk, studied the influence
Researchers explained that nanomaterialshave many unique properties that make them useful in various areas of the oil and gas industry. They are small in size and have high chemical and thermal stability. Due to these properties, low-concentration nanoparticle suspensions can be injected into an oil well to enhance oil recovery. They increase the wettability of oil-bearing reservoirs, facilitating the separation of oil from the produced rock.
Another factor affecting efficiencyoil production is interfacial tension - the force that occurs when two liquids separate. The oil in the rock is subjected to a capillary force that holds it in place. To weaken it, the interfacial tension must be reduced - this is what nanoparticles can do.
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A group of researchers studied the effect of size,concentration, composition and surface of nanoparticles on wettability and interfacial tension of crude oil. The aim of the study was to develop a fluid with special reducing additives. Prior to the experiment, the team prepared nanofluids based on distilled water and used powders of silicon dioxide and aluminum oxide as nanoparticles. Studies have shown that even small amounts of nanoparticles added to the fluid drastically change the rock wettability characteristics, which leads to increased oil production.
"Systems research on the use of particles inoil and gas fields are extremely important to the industry. However, our project is also relevant in terms of the fundamental knowledge that it provides. Despite the fact that the properties of these materials remain largely unexplored, it is obvious that they are fundamentally different from conventional coarse suspensions, ”said Andrey Minakov, project manager.
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