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.

doi:10.1016/j.molliq.2019.04.141

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.

Authors

Kale B. Orodu

Richard O. Afolabi

Toyosi D. Oluwasijuwomi

Oyinkepreye D. Orodu

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