Surfactant-Augmented Functional Silica Nanoparticle Based Nanofluid for Enhanced Oil Recovery at High Temperature and Salinity

• DOI: 10.1021/acsami.9b16960
• Publication Date: 2019-11-15T13:38:08Z
• Authors: Yanxia Zhou; Xu Wu; Xun Zhong; Wen Sun; Hui Pu; Julia Xiaojun Zhao
• Keywords: Temperature salinity diagrams

Nanofluids in recent years have shown great potential as a chemical enhanced oil recovery (EOR) technology, thanks to their excellent performance altering interfacial properties. However, because of the challenge preparing stable systems suitable for an elevated temperature and high salinity environment, expanding application nanofluids has been greatly restrained. In this work, novel nanofluid was prepared by integrating positively charged amino-terminated silica nanoparticles (SiNP-NH2) with negatively anionic surfactant (Soloterra 964) via electrostatic force. The resulted could be stored at relatively (15 wt % NaCl solution) (65 °C) more than 30 days without aggregation. Successful coating on target SiNPs verified Fourier transform infrared spectrometry surface charge size distribution. addition, recovering investigated analyzing nanofluid/Bakken tension variation trend contact angle when brine replaced nanofluids. Experimental results showed that water-oil Bakken crude decreased 99.85% increased 237.8% compared original value 13.78 mN/m 43.4°, respectively, indicating strong displacement efficiency obvious wetting transition from oil-wet toward water-wet. Spontaneous imbibition tests conducted Berea rocks yielded rate 46.61%, 11.30, 16.58, 22.89% brine, pure SiNP-NH2, 964), respectively. core flooding applied, total 60.88% place recovered additional 17.23% achieved stage. Moreover, possible mechanism EOR using proposed. Overall, developed is promising new material EOR.