Impact of cationic surfactant-coated hydrophilic nanoparticles on polymeric solution performance in chemical enhanced oil recovery (CEOR) from a two-dimensional porous medium

• Published in: Chemical engineering research & design 2024-04, Vol.204, p.427-437
• Main Authors: Zarei Ghobadlou, Mohammad, Asadzadeh, Naser, Ahmadlouydarab, Majid
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Cetyltrimethylammonium bromide; Chemical enhanced oil recovery (CEOR); Polymer injection; Porous medium; α-Al2O3 nanoparticle
• ISSN: 0263-8762
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cherd.2024.03.003

This study aims to investigate the mechanisms underlying enhanced oil recovery (EOR) through chemical injection and explore the key parameters influencing these mechanisms in a two-dimensional porous medium. Distilled water, polyacrylamide (PAM), α-Al2O3 nanoparticles, and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) surfactant were employed for this purpose. The effects of interfacial tension (IFT), viscosity, and zeta potential measurement were also examined. The results revealed that the injection of PAM polymer increased the viscosity of the displacing fluid, and enhanced the sweep efficiency. This resulted in a 35 % increase in the oil recovery factor compared to the water injection alone. Furthermore, the introduction of alumina (α-Al2O3) nanoparticles altered the wettability and stabilized the emulsion, leading to a further increase in the oil recovery factor. In the optimal state, the oil recovery factor reached 63.2 %. Moreover, the study of various concentrations of polymer and nanoparticles illustrated that low concentrations of polymer and high concentrations of nanoparticles in the base fluid resulted in higher oil recovery factors. Furthermore, adding CTAB surfactant ended a significant reduction in IFT, with a decrease from 45.03 to 10.33 mN/m. This reduction resulted in the highest oil recovery factor of 69 %. Consequently, the highest oil recovery factor was achieved using PAM polymer at a concentration of 500 ppm, α-Al2O3 nanoparticles at a concentration of 0.1 wt%, and CTAB surfactant at a critical micelle concentration of 1 mM in the base fluid (pure water), with a constant injection flowrate of 0.1 ml/min. [Display omitted] •Using nanoemulsion injection to enhance oil recovery from a 2-D porous medium was successful.•Effects of different concentrations of PAM polymer, α-Al2O3 NPs, as injected fluids were examined.•Increasing polymer concentration led to a reduction in the oil recovery factor.•Injecting NPs-Polymer led to a significant reduction in interfacial tension.•Maximum achieved oil recovery factor was 9% when injecting 00 ppm of PAM, 0.1 wt% of α-Al2O3, and 1 mM of CTAB.