Effect of silicon-based nanoparticles on enhanced oil recovery: Review

Silicon-based nanoparticles (NPs) have attracted considerable interest for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) because of their environmentally friendly and cost-effective characteristics, because silicon compounds form a major part of sandstones and clays in nature. NPs can increase oil production through many mechanisms, which are related to the high surface area and aspect ratio. EOR methods generally affect the microscopic and macroscopic sweep efficiency, and NPs have a great impact on both phenomena. This paper reviews the effects of silicon-based NPs on the wettability alteration of porous media, interfacial tension between oil and nanosystems, the viscosity of production and injection fluids, asphaltene precipitation prevention, and pore channel plugging. Besides, it compares the oil recovery factor between nanosystems and water injection on glass micromodel and rock cores. It is worth mentioning that the effects of nanofluid/oil/rock properties including size and concentration of NPs, type, porosity, and permeability of rocks, density and viscosity of oil, salinity type and concentration of base fluid, and experimental conditions such as pressure, temperature, etc. have been comprehensively analyzed on each mechanism. (c) 2021 Taiwan Institute of Chemical Engineers. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

Silicon-based nanoparticles play a significant role in enhanced oil recovery by altering wettability, reducing interfacial tension, adjusting fluid viscosity, preventing asphaltene precipitation, and plugging channels in porous media. The effects of nanofluid/oil/rock properties on each mechanism have been comprehensively analyzed.