A novel foam formulation by Al2O3/SiO2 nanoparticles for EOR applications: A mechanistic study

Hosein Rezvani; Donya Panahpoori; Masoud Riazi; Rafat Parsaei; Morteza Tabaei; Farid B. Cortés

doi:10.1016/j.molliq.2020.112730

A novel foam formulation by Al₂O₃/SiO₂ nanoparticles for EOR applications: A mechanistic study

Hosein Rezvani
, Donya Panahpoori
, Masoud Riazi
, Rafat Parsaei
, Morteza Tabaei
, Farid B. Cortés

Department of Petroleum Engineering

Shiraz University
University of Hull
Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) Research Centre
Isfahan University of Technology
Universidad Nacional de Colombia

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

90 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

In this study, the influence of Al₂O₃/SiO₂ nanoparticles (NPs) on the Cetyl Trimethyl Ammonium Bromide (CTAB) foam formation and stability is investigated for enhanced oil recovery (EOR). The optimum foaming concentration of CTAB in the presence of heavy crude oil was first determined via visual foam stability inspections for different CTAB concentrations. The results of these sets of experiments were used to find out an appropriate CTAB: Al₂O₃/SiO₂ NPs concentration ratio for foam stabilization through spectroscopy measurements. Different static analyses, including zeta potential, contact angle, and interfacial viscosity measurements were conducted to support the observations in the porous media during flooding. Improved foam stability in the presence of crude oil was observed with Al₂O₃/SiO₂ CTAB foam via electrostatic adsorption of positive CTA⁺ molecules onto the negatively charged NPs at the appropriate concentration ratio of CTAB: NPs. Contact angle measurements showed a similar glass wettability alteration from an oil-wet (155 ± 3°) to a water-wet condition (19–29°) for all blends of CTAB and Al₂O₃, SiO₂, or Al₂O₃/SiO₂ NPs. Foam/heavy crude oil interfacial viscosity measurements increased with the addition of NPs to the foam solutions, indicating an improved foam bubble deformability, viscoelasticity, and stability, which was consistent with the foam behavior in the porous medium. Oil displacement studies in the glass micromodel showed the highest ultimate and incremental oil recovery of 92% and 73% OOIP, respectively, for Al₂O₃/SiO₂ CTAB foam injection in the dual permeability porous medium. Some new forms of conventional foam mechanisms in the porous medium were also observed during the injection of Al₂O₃/SiO₂ CTAB foam, which are believed to be the possible reason for this high ultimate oil recovery. These results prove the efficient role of Al₂O₃/SiO₂ NPs in enhancing the foam performance via synergistic effects of NPs and CTAB.

Original language	English
Article number	112730
Journal	Journal of Molecular Liquids
Volume	304
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molliq.2020.112730
Publication status	Published - Apr 15 2020

Funding

We would like to thank National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) for funding this project and providing us the crude oil sample and related information. We would like to thank National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) for funding this project and providing us the crude oil sample and related information.

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 6 Clean Water and Sanitation
SDG 9 Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
SDG 13 Climate Action
SDG 17 Partnerships for the Goals

Keywords

AlO/SiO
bubble-Bubble lamella Division
CTAB
EOR
Foam
Nanoparticles

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
Condensed Matter Physics
Spectroscopy
Physical and Theoretical Chemistry
Materials Chemistry

Access to Document

10.1016/j.molliq.2020.112730

Cite this

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title = "A novel foam formulation by Al2O3/SiO2 nanoparticles for EOR applications: A mechanistic study",

abstract = "In this study, the influence of Al2O3/SiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) on the Cetyl Trimethyl Ammonium Bromide (CTAB) foam formation and stability is investigated for enhanced oil recovery (EOR). The optimum foaming concentration of CTAB in the presence of heavy crude oil was first determined via visual foam stability inspections for different CTAB concentrations. The results of these sets of experiments were used to find out an appropriate CTAB: Al2O3/SiO2 NPs concentration ratio for foam stabilization through spectroscopy measurements. Different static analyses, including zeta potential, contact angle, and interfacial viscosity measurements were conducted to support the observations in the porous media during flooding. Improved foam stability in the presence of crude oil was observed with Al2O3/SiO2 CTAB foam via electrostatic adsorption of positive CTA+ molecules onto the negatively charged NPs at the appropriate concentration ratio of CTAB: NPs. Contact angle measurements showed a similar glass wettability alteration from an oil-wet (155 ± 3°) to a water-wet condition (19–29°) for all blends of CTAB and Al2O3, SiO2, or Al2O3/SiO2 NPs. Foam/heavy crude oil interfacial viscosity measurements increased with the addition of NPs to the foam solutions, indicating an improved foam bubble deformability, viscoelasticity, and stability, which was consistent with the foam behavior in the porous medium. Oil displacement studies in the glass micromodel showed the highest ultimate and incremental oil recovery of 92\% and 73\% OOIP, respectively, for Al2O3/SiO2 CTAB foam injection in the dual permeability porous medium. Some new forms of conventional foam mechanisms in the porous medium were also observed during the injection of Al2O3/SiO2 CTAB foam, which are believed to be the possible reason for this high ultimate oil recovery. These results prove the efficient role of Al2O3/SiO2 NPs in enhancing the foam performance via synergistic effects of NPs and CTAB.",

keywords = "AlO/SiO, bubble-Bubble lamella Division, CTAB, EOR, Foam, Nanoparticles",

author = "Hosein Rezvani and Donya Panahpoori and Masoud Riazi and Rafat Parsaei and Morteza Tabaei and Cort{\'e}s, \{Farid B.\}",

note = "Funding Information: We would like to thank National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) for funding this project and providing us the crude oil sample and related information. Funding Information: We would like to thank National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) for funding this project and providing us the crude oil sample and related information. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2020 Elsevier B.V.",

year = "2020",

month = apr,

day = "15",

doi = "10.1016/j.molliq.2020.112730",

language = "English",

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T1 - A novel foam formulation by Al2O3/SiO2 nanoparticles for EOR applications

T2 - A mechanistic study

AU - Rezvani, Hosein

AU - Panahpoori, Donya

AU - Riazi, Masoud

AU - Parsaei, Rafat

AU - Tabaei, Morteza

AU - Cortés, Farid B.

N1 - Funding Information: We would like to thank National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) for funding this project and providing us the crude oil sample and related information. Funding Information: We would like to thank National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) for funding this project and providing us the crude oil sample and related information. Publisher Copyright: © 2020 Elsevier B.V.

PY - 2020/4/15

Y1 - 2020/4/15

N2 - In this study, the influence of Al2O3/SiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) on the Cetyl Trimethyl Ammonium Bromide (CTAB) foam formation and stability is investigated for enhanced oil recovery (EOR). The optimum foaming concentration of CTAB in the presence of heavy crude oil was first determined via visual foam stability inspections for different CTAB concentrations. The results of these sets of experiments were used to find out an appropriate CTAB: Al2O3/SiO2 NPs concentration ratio for foam stabilization through spectroscopy measurements. Different static analyses, including zeta potential, contact angle, and interfacial viscosity measurements were conducted to support the observations in the porous media during flooding. Improved foam stability in the presence of crude oil was observed with Al2O3/SiO2 CTAB foam via electrostatic adsorption of positive CTA+ molecules onto the negatively charged NPs at the appropriate concentration ratio of CTAB: NPs. Contact angle measurements showed a similar glass wettability alteration from an oil-wet (155 ± 3°) to a water-wet condition (19–29°) for all blends of CTAB and Al2O3, SiO2, or Al2O3/SiO2 NPs. Foam/heavy crude oil interfacial viscosity measurements increased with the addition of NPs to the foam solutions, indicating an improved foam bubble deformability, viscoelasticity, and stability, which was consistent with the foam behavior in the porous medium. Oil displacement studies in the glass micromodel showed the highest ultimate and incremental oil recovery of 92% and 73% OOIP, respectively, for Al2O3/SiO2 CTAB foam injection in the dual permeability porous medium. Some new forms of conventional foam mechanisms in the porous medium were also observed during the injection of Al2O3/SiO2 CTAB foam, which are believed to be the possible reason for this high ultimate oil recovery. These results prove the efficient role of Al2O3/SiO2 NPs in enhancing the foam performance via synergistic effects of NPs and CTAB.

AB - In this study, the influence of Al2O3/SiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) on the Cetyl Trimethyl Ammonium Bromide (CTAB) foam formation and stability is investigated for enhanced oil recovery (EOR). The optimum foaming concentration of CTAB in the presence of heavy crude oil was first determined via visual foam stability inspections for different CTAB concentrations. The results of these sets of experiments were used to find out an appropriate CTAB: Al2O3/SiO2 NPs concentration ratio for foam stabilization through spectroscopy measurements. Different static analyses, including zeta potential, contact angle, and interfacial viscosity measurements were conducted to support the observations in the porous media during flooding. Improved foam stability in the presence of crude oil was observed with Al2O3/SiO2 CTAB foam via electrostatic adsorption of positive CTA+ molecules onto the negatively charged NPs at the appropriate concentration ratio of CTAB: NPs. Contact angle measurements showed a similar glass wettability alteration from an oil-wet (155 ± 3°) to a water-wet condition (19–29°) for all blends of CTAB and Al2O3, SiO2, or Al2O3/SiO2 NPs. Foam/heavy crude oil interfacial viscosity measurements increased with the addition of NPs to the foam solutions, indicating an improved foam bubble deformability, viscoelasticity, and stability, which was consistent with the foam behavior in the porous medium. Oil displacement studies in the glass micromodel showed the highest ultimate and incremental oil recovery of 92% and 73% OOIP, respectively, for Al2O3/SiO2 CTAB foam injection in the dual permeability porous medium. Some new forms of conventional foam mechanisms in the porous medium were also observed during the injection of Al2O3/SiO2 CTAB foam, which are believed to be the possible reason for this high ultimate oil recovery. These results prove the efficient role of Al2O3/SiO2 NPs in enhancing the foam performance via synergistic effects of NPs and CTAB.

KW - AlO/SiO

KW - bubble-Bubble lamella Division

KW - CTAB

KW - EOR

KW - Foam

KW - Nanoparticles

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