Silica nanofluid in low salinity seawater containing surfactant and polymer: Oil recovery efficiency, wettability alteration and adsorption studies

Production of crude oil from a matured oil reservoir is challenging due to the low recovery factor. Hybrid methods have demonstrated potential in oil recovery from the matured crude oil reservoir. In recent years, the low salinity water with chemicals (viz., surfactant, polymer) and nanoparticles have brought the attention of the researchers due to their ability in altering the interfacial properties of the rock-oil-water systems favorable for crude oil recovery. The current interest by industries in injection fluid (i.e., low salinity water injection) has prompted the invention of a hybrid oil recovery agent for matured crude oil reservoirs. In the current study, a novel silica-based hybrid nanofluids (NFs) of variable silica nanoparticles (NPs) concentration in low salinity seawater with anionic surfactant (AOT: dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate) and polymer (PVP-K30: polyvinylpyrrolidone) (sometimes referred to as SMART LowSal) are used as an injection fluid in a sand-pack reactor. Oil recovery from oil saturated sand-pack reactor is observed to enhance due to NFs (hybrid) injection after secondary recovery. The characteristic study of relative permeability curves discloses that sand surface was initially water-wet and converted to strongly water-wet in the presence of NFs. A nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) study reveals that adsorption of the chemical appeared on the sand surfaces, which could be the reason for wettability alteration, and thereby enhanced oil recovery. Similarly, the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDXA) of the sand samples before and after injection disclosed desorption of hydrocarbon from the sand surfaces after NFs injection. An additional 5-10% oil recovery is achieved after chemical flooding due to the injection of NFs. Adsorption isotherm study well agreed with the monolayer adsorption of surfactant on the sand surface.

Automated summary

The study explores the use of a novel silica-based hybrid nanofluid for enhanced oil recovery in matured oil reservoirs. The hybrid nanofluid alters the interfacial properties of the rock-oil-water systems, resulting in a shift from water-wet to strongly water-wet sand surfaces and thereby increasing oil recovery.