Micro Scale Investigation of Enhanced Oil Recovery Using Nano/Bio Materials

Recently application of nano/bio materials for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) has been examined by few researchers, but there exists ambiguous concepts about simultaneous injection of nanoparticles/biomaterials. Therefore, in this study the heavy oil displacement mechanisms using simultaneous injection of nanosilica/biosurfactant have been investigated in a glass micromodel. In order to better illustrate the influence of nano/bio material different flooding scenarios containing distilled water, nanosilica/distilled water, biosurfactant/distilled water and nanosilica/biosurfactant/distilled water have been conducted. Experimental results indicate that simultaneous presence of nanoparticles and bioproducts have synergy on each other and because of IFT reduction, improving the mobility ratio and increasing the injected fluid viscosity; the oil recovery can be achieved about 58%. Furthermore, nanoparticles can play as an inhibitor to avoid asphaltene precipitation.