Effect of nanoclay on improved rheology properties of polyacrylamide solutions used in enhanced oil recovery

Recently, a renewed interest arises in the application of nanotechnology for the upstream petroleum industry. In particular, adding nanoparticles to fluids may drastically benefit enhanced oil recovery (EOR) and improve well drilling, by changing the properties of the fluid, rocks wettability alteration, advanced drag reduction, strengthening the sand consolidation, reducing the interfacial tension and increasing the mobility of the capillary trapped oil. In this study, we focus on roles of clay nanoparticles on polymer viscosity. Polymer-flooding schemes for recovering residual oil have been in general less than satisfactory due to loss of chemical components by adsorption on reservoir rocks, precipitation, and resultant changes in rheological properties. Rheological properties' changes are mainly determined by the chemical structure and mix of the polymers, surface properties of the rock, composition of the oil and reservoir fluids, nature of the added polymers and solution conditions such as salinity, pH and temperature. On the other hand, in this study, the focus is on viscosity and salinity of solutions polyacrylamide polymer solutions with different nanoparticles degrees and molecular weight. Results in certain range of clay concentration used in this test, the way of clay adding, have positive effects on solution viscosity. The effect of the polymer content and salinity were also to be investigated.