Mitigating Polymer Absorption in Porous Silica Formations with Surfactants & Silicananofluids: A Viscosity, Temperature and Rheology Study Investigation
Food-Energy-Water Nexus
2019
2019 Food-Energy-Water Nexus
Poster Submissions
Poster Session
Thursday, December 5, 2019 - 5:00pm to 6:00pm
While the use of nanotechnology has been has been explored in many applications and of late,
the application of nanotechnology in the various upstream petroleum activities like
exploration, drilling, production and distribution. It has been observed that on the addition of
nanoparticles to the fluids alter the properties of the fluid causing wettability alternation and
impacting advanced drag reduction, strengthening sand consolidation, reducing the interfacial
tension and increasing the mobility of the capillary-trapped oil. The focus of our current study
has been the use of silica nanoparticles to mitigate the absorption of polymer in a porous silica
formation. Conventionally used polymers to increase the viscosity the injection water are
PAM, HPAM and Xanthan Gum. The use of polymer in an injection fluid causes the
increment of oil from a formation. However, the polymer has been found to adsorb onto
reservoir rocks, causes precipitation, and results in the changes to the rheological properties of
the fluid. Hence, we have explored the use of nanoparticles in mitigating the adsorption of
water-soluble polymers on the solid surfaces of sandstone has been investigated. Our study
has focused on the role of polymer and its resulting absorption in a porous media on the
viscosity, temperature and salinity of solutions of polyacrylamide polymers with different
nanoparticle & surfactant concentrations. Our studies have shown that the use of polymer
solutions containing silica nanoparticles have significantly less adsorption based on weight
percent than conventional samples. This attribute is hence desirable for surface absorption.
the application of nanotechnology in the various upstream petroleum activities like
exploration, drilling, production and distribution. It has been observed that on the addition of
nanoparticles to the fluids alter the properties of the fluid causing wettability alternation and
impacting advanced drag reduction, strengthening sand consolidation, reducing the interfacial
tension and increasing the mobility of the capillary-trapped oil. The focus of our current study
has been the use of silica nanoparticles to mitigate the absorption of polymer in a porous silica
formation. Conventionally used polymers to increase the viscosity the injection water are
PAM, HPAM and Xanthan Gum. The use of polymer in an injection fluid causes the
increment of oil from a formation. However, the polymer has been found to adsorb onto
reservoir rocks, causes precipitation, and results in the changes to the rheological properties of
the fluid. Hence, we have explored the use of nanoparticles in mitigating the adsorption of
water-soluble polymers on the solid surfaces of sandstone has been investigated. Our study
has focused on the role of polymer and its resulting absorption in a porous media on the
viscosity, temperature and salinity of solutions of polyacrylamide polymers with different
nanoparticle & surfactant concentrations. Our studies have shown that the use of polymer
solutions containing silica nanoparticles have significantly less adsorption based on weight
percent than conventional samples. This attribute is hence desirable for surface absorption.
Keywords: Polymer Absorption, Enhanced Oil Recovery, Nanoparticles, Surfactant, Clays,
Sandstones