Researchers from Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch, as well as Sharif University of Technology, are investigating the effects of nanoparticles next to thermoresponsive polymers with an aim to achieve enhanced oil recovery (EOR) from oil reserves, since this method is highly cost-efficient.
The project is being conducted with cooperation of National Iranian South Oil Company.
According to Saeid Golshokouh, the project manager, most of oil reserves in Iran have dropped in oil production and the final amount of recovery is less than a quarter of the existing oil in them. As a result, different methods of enhanced oil recovery have become increasingly more popular in the country.
“Contrary to most countries in the world, many of Iran’s oil reservoirs are fractured carbonates with a high reservoir temperature and a high salinity formation brine. Thus, it seems that the combination of colloidal silica nanofluids with thermoresponsive polymers will be a suitable option for improving the EOR,” he said.
According to Golshokouh, using normal polymers for such oil reservoirs will be practically ineffective as polymers lose their properties in high temperature and high salinity, and their viscosity will drop considerably.
“In this project, a type of copolymer has been developed that not only its properties are preserved in high temperature and salinity but also its viscosity is increased. Besides, the penetration of silica nanoparticles into the polymer network results in a stronger network and a more resistant polymer in higher temperature and salinity,” he added.
According to him, colloidal silica nanoparticles are the most cost-efficient and have a high chance of commercialization in the field of EOR.
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