Effect of aluminum oxide nanoparticles on the rheology and stability of a biopolymer for enhanced oil recovery.

Orodu, Kale B.; Afolabi, Richard O.; Oluwasijuwomi, Toyosi D.; Orodu, Oyinkepreye D.

Abstract

Uncommon and untested biopolymers in field pilot studies, but applied in laboratory studies are combined with Al2O3 nanoparticles to form nanocomposites for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) performance evaluation. Core plug samples of the Niger Delta region and Berea sandstone were used as the porous media for EOR experiments. Incremental oil recovery sequel to waterflooding (secondary recovery) was 5–12% and 5–7% for potato starch nanocomposite (PSPNP) and gum Arabic nanocomposite (GCNP) respectively. The biopolymer nanocomposites showed improved viscosity over the biopolymers. Thus, the nanoparticle served as a viscosity modifier on one-hand and stability enhancer on the other. EOR was affected by biopolymer and nanoparticle concentration with the attendant catch-22 situation of permeability impairment. The overall higher incremental recovery of applying PSPNP came by an intermediate potato starch (PSP) flooding between waterflooding and PSNP flooding. Consequently, slugs of biopolymer and biopolymer nanocomposite may be the way forward knowing that the biopolymers studied have surface-active constituents.

Citation

ORODU, K.B., AFOLABI, R.O., OLUWASIJUWOMI, T.D. and ORODU, O.D. 2019. Effect of aluminum oxide nanoparticles on the rheology and stability of a biopolymer for enhanced oil recovery. Journal of molecular liquids [online], 288, article ID 110864. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molliq.2019.04.141

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Apr 25, 2019
• Online Publication Date: Apr 26, 2019
• Publication Date: Aug 15, 2019
• Deposit Date: Jun 24, 2019
• Publicly Available Date: Apr 27, 2020
• Journal: Journal of Molecular Liquids
• Print ISSN: 0167-7322
• Electronic ISSN: 1873-3166
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 288
• Article Number: 110864
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.molliq.2019.04.141
• Keywords: Enhanced oil recovery; Biopolymers; Nanoparticles; Rheology
• Public URL: https://rgu-repository.worktribe.com/output/314677
• Contract Date: Jun 24, 2019