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Licensed Unlicensed Requires Authentication Published by De Gruyter March 9, 2020

The use of nanotechnology to prevent and mitigate fine migration: a comprehensive review

  • Ali Madadizadeh , Alireza Sadeghein and Siavash Riahi EMAIL logo

Abstract

Fine migration is a serious problem in petroleum reservoir that causes damage to the reservoir and production equipment. One of the methods to solve this problem is using nanotechnology. Nanoparticles can reduce fine migration by various mechanisms such as reducing the zeta potential, changing the total interaction energy between surfaces, pH, and roughness of the particle’s surfaces. This study presents a review of the methods such as sand pack test, core flood test, and proppant test that study the nanoparticles’ influence on fine migration. Also, there are two different scenarios for the use of nanoparticles to mitigate fine migration. One of these scenarios is the co-injection of nanoparticles and particles suspended fluid, and another scenario is the initial injection of nanoparticles into the porous media (pre-flush). The results of the studies have shown that pre-flush of nanoparticles has a better effect on the control of fine migration.

Nomenclature

NP

Nanoparticles

rNP

Radius of nanoparticle, m

rFP

Radius of fine particles, m

rP

Pore radius, m

rc

Internal cake thickness due to retention of particles, m

A123

Hamaker constant

ĈNP

Volumetric concentration of adsorbed NPs with respect to bulk volume

CFP·CNP

Volumetric concentration of fine particles and the nanoparticles with respect to pore volume

kB

Boltzmann constant, 1.381×10−21 J/K

KNP

Langmuir adsorption constant of NP

T

Temperature, K

σcr

Critical retention concentration of fine particles with NP adsorption

σcr.initial

Critical retention concentration of fine particles without NP adsorption

σcr.max

Critical retention concentration of fine particles with maximum NP adsorption

σFP

Volumetric concentration of retained fine particles with respect to bulk volume

Y

Separation distance between nanoparticle and pore surface, m

Z

Valence of the electrolyte

λ

Characteristic London wavelength, m

ω

Dimensionless drag force coefficient varying in the range 10–60

Δρ

Density difference between particle and fluid, kg/m3

U

Fluid velocity, m/s

χ

Lifting force coefficient

𝒮FP·𝒮GS·𝒮NP

Surface potential for fine particles, grain, and nanoparticles, mV

VBORN

Born interaction energy, J

VDLVO

DLVO interaction energy, J

VDLR

Electrical double layer interaction energy, J

VHYD

Hydration interaction energy, J

VVDW

Van der Waals interaction energy, J

Fd

Drag force, N

Fe

Electrostatic force, N

Fl

Lifting force, N

Fn

Normal force, N

ξwNPs

Zeta potential of surface in the absence of nanoparticles, mV

ψwNPs

Stern plane potential in the absence of nanoparticles, mV

ξwNPs

Zeta potential of surface in the presence of nanoparticles, mV

ψwNPs

Stern plane potential in the presence of nanoparticles, mV

CC

constant charge density

n

pore concentration, number/m3

Ø

porosity of sand pack

κ

Inverse Debye length, m−1

VFP

Total energy, J

y

Ratio between drag and electrostatic force

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Received: 2019-08-23
Accepted: 2010-02-04
Published Online: 2020-03-09
Published in Print: 2022-01-27

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