Effect of nano titanium dioxide on heavy oil recovery during polymer flooding

Abstract

In recent years, polymer flood of heavy oil has been extensively studied in laboratories and successfully applied in several fields. Polymer flooding is the most successful chemical enhanced oil recovery method. However, still, the need for a large amount of polymer, leading to high operational costs, presents a big challenge in technologies. This challenge can be addressed by considering the newly emerging nanomaterials. In this work, the author focuses on roles of TiO2 nanoparticles on polymer viscosity and improve recovery in heavy oil recovery. He present the results obtained from a coreflood experiment with polymer injection in heavy oil at 1320 mPa.sec viscosity. Nanopolymer exhibits an outstanding flow behavior and enhanced oil recovery performance in coreflood displacement tests compared to base polymers. The results indicate that polymer flooding with higher viscosity can significantly improve oil recovery. Flooding test showed about 4% increase in oil recovery for nanopolymer solution in comparison with polymer solution after one pore volume fluid injection.