Project 1: 

The presence of asphaltene in heavy oil normally presents serious production problems, it has been evidenced that using nanoparticles may improve oil mobility. Nanoparticles can be used as adsorbents for asphaltene and oil upgrading. This study explores the feasibility of different nanoparticles to adsorb and inhibit asphaltene insitu during SAGD oil recovery. Four nanoparticle types namely, iron titanium(FeTi), iron magnetite (Fe₃O₄), silica nanoparticles(SiO₂), and nanopyroxene(NaFeSi₂O₆) nanoparticles have been employed in batch and continuous experiments. Batch adsorption experiments were carried out at different initial asphaltene concentrations. Asphaltene adsorption has been evaluated by measuring the asphaltene concentration using UV spectrometry and thermogravimetric analysis. The solid-liquid equilibrium model(SLE) has been used to correlate the experimental sorption equilibrium data. Then, adsorption kinetics and isotherms are obtained. The isotherm data fits well with the SLE model for all four nanoparticles. Results showed that asphaltene adsorption depends on the type of nanomaterials used and the adsorption capacities of asphaltenes onto the nanoparticles followed the order, NaFeSi₂O₆ < SiO₂< FeTi< Fe₃O₄. In the ongoing work, the effect of asphaltene on formation damage is yet to be analyzed by conducting permeability measurements in the presence of asphaltene with and without Fe₂O₃ since it showed better adsorption capability during the batch process. Furthermore, the quality of produced oil is going to be analyzed by conducting SIM distillation tests, micro carbon residual(MCR),  analyzing the asphaltene content, SARA analysis and viscosity of the produced oil after SAGD oil recovery with and without nanoparticles. We expect the asphaltene content in the produced oil to drop significantly from the original 10.3% to Y% which will be estimated as well as upgrading the oil insitu. This study is a first step in showing the feasibility of using nanoparticles for asphaltene Insitu adsorption, during SAGD oil recoveries.

Project 2:

Heavy oil recovery presents enormous challenges during production, especially in thin reservoirs, where thermal recovery is inefficient. To overcome these challenges, chemically heavy oil recovery methods are extensively used. Herein, we formulated a new class of stable nanofluids from surfactant-coated nanomaterials to improve the microscopic displacement efficiency and recover a medium-viscosity heavy oil. Our nanofluid consists of an anionic surfactant, sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), grafted on the surface of nanopyroxene to be used as an emulsifier that can instinctively emulsify heavy oil by minimal agitation designed for heavy oil enhanced oil recovery (EOR). Optimum screening of the designed emulsions was performed by interfacial tension (IFT) measurements and emulsion stability testing. The droplet size distribution and microscopic morphology of the created emulsions were observed by an optical microscope, dynamic light scattering testing, and magnetic resonance imaging. Afterward, the EOR mechanism of emulsions was investigated by core flooding studies with the aid of NMR and/or computer tomography (CT). The characterization results showed that our synthesized nanoparticles were successfully grafted with the anionic surfactant. Then, the grafted surfactant-nanopyroxene resulted in an ultralow IFT and hence stable oil/water emulsions (E1). Moreover, the synergy effect between nanopyroxene and SLS was further enhanced by adding 0.2 wt % NaOH, which greatly improved the capability of emulsification (E2). As a result, the designed formulation E1 and/or E2 emulsified heavy crude oil by applying a minimum force. Notably, crude oil in small pores was more effectively displaced by the E2 system than E1. Consequently, E2 exhibited a higher EOR efficiency than the E1, SLS, and SLS+NaOH systems. E2 recovered (34.4%) compared to E1 (18.5%), SLS (16.2%), and SLS+NaOH (1.2%). This work revealed the EOR mechanism of the surfactant grafted nanoparticle systems from the level of the pore structure using NMR and CT scan.

Heavy oil recovery presents enormous challenges during production, especially in thin reservoirs, where thermal recovery is inefficient. To overcome these challenges, chemically heavy oil recovery methods are extensively used. Herein, we formulated a new class of stable nanofluids from surfactant-coated nanomaterials to improve the microscopic displacement efficiency and recover a medium-viscosity heavy oil. Our nanofluid consists of an anionic surfactant, sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), grafted on the surface of nanopyroxene to be used as an emulsifier that can instinctively emulsify heavy oil by minimal agitation designed for heavy oil enhanced oil recovery (EOR). Optimum screening of the designed emulsions was performed by interfacial tension (IFT) measurements and emulsion stability testing. The droplet size distribution and microscopic morphology of the created emulsions were observed by an optical microscope, dynamic light scattering testing, and magnetic resonance imaging. Afterwards, the EOR mechanism of emulsions was investigated by core flooding studies with the aid of NMR and/or computer tomography (CT). The characterization results showed that our synthesized nanoparticles were successfully grafted with the anionic surfactant. Then, the grafted surfactant-nanopyroxene resulted in an ultralow IFT and hence stable oil/water emulsions (E1). Moreover, the synergy effect between nanopyroxene and SLS was further enhanced by adding 0.2 wt % NaOH, which greatly improved the capability of emulsification (E2). As a result, the designed formulation E1 and/or E2 emulsified heavy crude oil by applying a minimum force. Notably, crude oil in small pores was more effectively displaced by the E2 system than E1. Consequently, E2 exhibited a higher EOR efficiency than the E1, SLS, and SLS+NaOH systems. E2 recovered (34.4%) compared to E1 (18.5%), SLS (16.2%), and SLS+NaOH (1.2%). This work revealed the EOR mechanism of the surfactant grafted nanoparticle systems from the level of the pore structure using NMR and CT scans.