Experimental study on nanoparticles-assisted low-salinity water for enhanced oil recovery in asphaltenic oil reservoirs

The purpose of this research is to look into the augmentation of silica nanoparticles (NPs) with low salinity (LowSal) brine for EOR. A series of analyses, including oil/water interfacial tension (IFT) and rock wettability tests were undertaken to determine an optimal dispersion to flood into a porous carbonate core with a defined pore size distribution. At 60°C and 14.5 psi, the maximum drop (i.e., roughly 12.5 mN/m) in oil/water IFT by 0.3 wt% brine occurred, but when 0.08 wt% silica was added to the brine, the IFT reduced to 14.51 mN/m at 60°C and 14.5 psi. The wettability analysis revealed a significant reduction in contact angle, from 142° to 72° and 59°, using 0.04 and 0.08 wt% silica in LowSal brine, but the extent reduced by brine alone was insufficient. The results of rock pore size characterization were discussed in terms of the accomplishment of operating EOR in the porous medium in the presence of NPs. The addition of 0.08 wt% silica to the injected brine resulted in an additional oil recovery of 16.3% OOIP as well as a significant shift in the endpoints/cross-points of the oil/water relative permeability curves. The findings of this research might help improve oil recovery from asphaltenic oil reservoirs or, more environmentally friendly, remediate petroleum crude-oil polluted soil.