Determining the optimum nanofluid for enhanced oil recovery

Presented by Katie Aurand katherine.r.aurand@ntnu.no

NorTex Nano Summit Houston, Texas, USA

Oct. 13, 2014

Based on paper SCA2014-17 Authors: Katherine R. Aurand, Gunnar Sie Dahle, and Ole Torsæter

Objective: Determine optimum silica nanoparticle

shape and size for EOR applications

Determining the optimum nanofluid for enhanced oil recovery Presented by Katie Aurand | Houston, Texas | Oct. 13, 2014 | NorTex Nano Summit 2

Objective: Determine optimum silica nanoparticle

shape and size for EOR applications

Conclusion: • The largest nano-structured (fumed silica)

particles show best EOR potential

• Physical mechanisms currently dominate?

• Next step = particle modification and testing

3 Determining the optimum nanofluid for enhanced oil recovery Presented by Katie Aurand | Houston, Texas | Oct. 13, 2014 | NorTex Nano Summit

• Previous studies success

• Can use existing injection structures

• More environmentally friendly?

• Cost

Why nanofluids?

4 Determining the optimum nanofluid for enhanced oil recovery Presented by Katie Aurand | Houston, Texas | Oct. 13, 2014 | NorTex Nano Summit

Nanoparticle types

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D50 = 106 nm D50 = 81 nm D50 = 86 nm

16 nm

7 nm 10 nm

Nano-structured particle (Fumed)

*Illustrations not to scale Determining the optimum nanofluid for enhanced oil recovery Presented by Katie Aurand | Houston, Texas | Oct. 13, 2014 | NorTex Nano Summit

Nanoparticle types

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D50 = 75 nm D50 = 18 nm

D50 = 8 nm

Nanoparticle (Colloidal)

*Illustrations not to scale Determining the optimum nanofluid for enhanced oil recovery Presented by Katie Aurand | Houston, Texas | Oct. 13, 2014 | NorTex Nano Summit

Nanoparticle types

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*Illustrations not to scale

Fumed-L

Fumed-M Fumed-S

Colloidal-L

Colloidal-S

Colloidal-M

Determining the optimum nanofluid for enhanced oil recovery Presented by Katie Aurand | Houston, Texas | Oct. 13, 2014 | NorTex Nano Summit

Nanofluid composition

Nanoparticles or nano-structured particles • D50 = 8 - 106 nm • > 98% SiO2 • Hydrophilic

Synthetic North Sea water • Salinity = 3.53% • DI water = base • Suite of salts Particles

suspended in aqueous solution

at 0.05 wt %

8 Determining the optimum nanofluid for enhanced oil recovery Presented by Katie Aurand | Houston, Texas | Oct. 13, 2014 | NorTex Nano Summit

Fluid properties

Nanofluids

Synthetic North Sea water

Crude oil Density = 0.87 g/cm3

Viscosity = 19.9 cP

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Reservoir brine

Determining the optimum nanofluid for enhanced oil recovery Presented by Katie Aurand | Houston, Texas | Oct. 13, 2014 | NorTex Nano Summit

Procedures Core flooding

Interfacial tension (IFT) Contact angle

10 Determining the optimum nanofluid for enhanced oil recovery Presented by Katie Aurand | Houston, Texas | Oct. 13, 2014 | NorTex Nano Summit

Core flooding: Set-up

13 cm

3.8 cm

Berea sandstone core plug

> 93% Quartz

Kavg = 360 mD (285 – 438 mD) φavg = 18.6 %

PVavg = 24.8 mL

11 Determining the optimum nanofluid for enhanced oil recovery Presented by Katie Aurand | Houston, Texas | Oct. 13, 2014 | NorTex Nano Summit

Core flooding: Set-up

12 Determining the optimum nanofluid for enhanced oil recovery Presented by Katie Aurand | Houston, Texas | Oct. 13, 2014 | NorTex Nano Summit

Core flooding: Results

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Fumed-L

Fumed-M

Fumed-S

11.8% 5.7%

8.6%

Fumed-L 11.8% Fumed-M 8.6% Fumed-S 5.7%

Determining the optimum nanofluid for enhanced oil recovery Presented by Katie Aurand | Houston, Texas | Oct. 13, 2014 | NorTex Nano Summit

Core flooding: Results

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Colloidal-L

Colloidal-M

Colloidal-S 2.4%

6.0%

3.5%

Colloidal-M 6.0% Colloidal-L 3.5% Colloidal-S 2.4%

Determining the optimum nanofluid for enhanced oil recovery Presented by Katie Aurand | Houston, Texas | Oct. 13, 2014 | NorTex Nano Summit

Core flooding: Results

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Fumed-L

Fumed-M

Fumed-S

Determining the optimum nanofluid for enhanced oil recovery Presented by Katie Aurand | Houston, Texas | Oct. 13, 2014 | NorTex Nano Summit

Core flooding: Results

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Colloidal-L

Colloidal-M

Colloidal-S

Determining the optimum nanofluid for enhanced oil recovery Presented by Katie Aurand | Houston, Texas | Oct. 13, 2014 | NorTex Nano Summit

IFT and contact angle

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Fluid IFT (mN/m) Contact angle NSB 16.4 27o

Fumed-L 12.6 22o

Fumed-M 12.0 19o

Fumed-S 14.9 23o

Colloidal-L 12.2 --- Colloidal-M 15.4 --- Colloidal-S 13.0 15o

Determining the optimum nanofluid for enhanced oil recovery Presented by Katie Aurand | Houston, Texas | Oct. 13, 2014 | NorTex Nano Summit

Discussion

• Largest nano-structured (fumed) particle (RF = 11.8%) = best

• Nano-structured particles (fumed) performed better than nanoparticles (colloidal)

• All nanofluids showed some EOR potential

18 Determining the optimum nanofluid for enhanced oil recovery Presented by Katie Aurand | Houston, Texas | Oct. 13, 2014 | NorTex Nano Summit

Discussion

• Contact angle & IFT: nanofluids reduce both, but no visible trends among the nanoparticle types and sizes

• Pressure increase throughout nano flooding stage (0.2 to 0.4 bar increase)

• Nanofluids with smaller total nanoparticle surface area performed better

19 Determining the optimum nanofluid for enhanced oil recovery Presented by Katie Aurand | Houston, Texas | Oct. 13, 2014 | NorTex Nano Summit

Discussion

• Mechanical recovery mechanisms dominate?

• Other factors, such as pH and pressure, could be contributing to the oil recovery

20 Determining the optimum nanofluid for enhanced oil recovery Presented by Katie Aurand | Houston, Texas | Oct. 13, 2014 | NorTex Nano Summit

Theory: Log-jamming

21 Determining the optimum nanofluid for enhanced oil recovery Presented by Katie Aurand | Houston, Texas | Oct. 13, 2014 | NorTex Nano Summit

Theory: Log-jamming

22 Determining the optimum nanofluid for enhanced oil recovery Presented by Katie Aurand | Houston, Texas | Oct. 13, 2014 | NorTex Nano Summit

• Modification of particle surface for salt stability

• Additional core flooding (esp. mass balance)

• Characterization of effluent

• Investigation of mechanisms

Future work

23 Determining the optimum nanofluid for enhanced oil recovery Presented by Katie Aurand | Houston, Texas | Oct. 13, 2014 | NorTex Nano Summit

Particle | Mechanisms | Effluent Modification Chacterization

Things to remember:

24 Determining the optimum nanofluid for enhanced oil recovery Presented by Katie Aurand | Houston, Texas | Oct. 13, 2014 | NorTex Nano Summit

Nano-EOR

Thank you for your attention.

Questions?

25 Determining the optimum nanofluid for enhanced oil recovery Presented by Katie Aurand | Houston, Texas | Oct. 13, 2014 | NorTex Nano Summit

katherine.r.aurand@ntnu.no