Design Novel 3D Micro-model for Investigating Silica Nanoparticles Performance in Increasing the Effectiveness of Water Flooding

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 National Iranian South Oil Company (NISOC), Ahvaz, Iran\Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch, Department of Oil and Gas Engineering, Tehran, Iran

2 IOR Research Institute, Tehran, Iran

3 Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch, Department of Oil and Gas Engineering, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

In this research, a novel micro-model is designed to investigate the performance of silica nanoparticles on the increment of the effectiveness of water flooding. The micro-model is constructed with spherical or non-spherical glass beads or mineral grains like sandstones. These grains are put between the glass plates of the micro-model with an especial method. Afterwards, it is heated in an oven to prepare the heterogeneous porous media. This micro-model in comparison with previously developed one has lots of advantages and can represent the real reservoir porous media. Contact angle, inherent viscosity and micro-model flooding experiments are performed to investigate the effect of the nanoparticles on the recovery factor. In contact angle experiment, wettability alteration from oil-wet to water-wet is observed due to silica nanoparticles adsorption and deposition. Inherent viscosity is increased with adding silica nanoparticles in high reservoir temperature. In micro-model flooding with silica nanoparticles, increasing oil recovery and oil emulsion formation is observed in comparison with polymer injection. The hybrid injection of silica nanoparticle-polymer leads to more decrease in interfacial tension and increase in oil emulsion formation during water flooding. The designed micro-model provides an appropriate tool for 3D view of fluid displacement.
 

Main Subjects

References

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Journal of Petroleum Research
Volume 27, 96-5 - Serial Number 96
November and December 2017
Pages 46-55

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