Nanoparticle-enhanced Foam in Carbonate and Sandstone Reservoirs

Nanoparticle-enhanced Foam in Carbonate and Sandstone Reservoirs

Roebroeks, J.

Farajzadeh, R. (mentor)

Civil Engineering and Geosciences

Geoscience & Engineering

Petroleum Engineering

2014-10-31

The goal of this thesis, to assess the potential of a new silica-based nanoparticle to increase foam viscosity in a porous medium, has been achieved. A method was developed to reduce filtration effects which allowed the conduction of repeatable foam-scan experiments in a laboratory. Through conduction of multiple core-flooding experiments it has been observed that adding nanoparticles with a concentration of 5 g/L did indeed enhance foam viscosity for cases where the nanoparticles were able to flow through the core. The particles were able to flow through the Bentheimer Sandstone with a permeability of around 2 Darcy, and the Mergel Chalk with a permeability of around 5,5 Darcy. The Estaillades Limestone with a permeability of around 0.1 Darcy proved to be difficult for the particles to flow through. Therefore the nanoparticle foam was not found to be more viscous when flowing through this medium. Through the conduction of a secondary experiment drainage reduction was found to be a mechanism with which nanoparticles enhance foam strength. In an experiment where drainage was measured, nanoparticle foam was found to be up to 300% more wet than non-nanoparticle foam under the same conditions, indicating slower drainage. Therefore it is believed that also in a porous medium these particles help to reduce the rate at which foam lamellae are drained. The effect on foam viscosity of changing salt concentration, temperature, gas, rock type and surfactant concentration has been identified and explained. A notable outcome is that increasing surfactant concentration above CMC did not enhance viscosity but only increased the gas fractional flow at which the highest viscosity occurred. Adding nanoparticles did enhance viscosity, in the case of the Chalk very significantly. Therefore it is believed there is great potential between the synergy of surfactants and nanoparticles. Rather than simply replacing surfactants, the new silica-based particle provides a mechanism which aids foam generation in a unique way.

foam
nanoparticle
EOR

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:ed2c4e5b-71c8-476d-833a-b51ea7d8f9e4

2019-10-10

Student theses

master thesis

(c) 2014 Roebroeks, J.