EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION OF THERMALLY STABLE SILICA NANOPARTICLES IN POROUS MEDIA

The instability of silica nanoparticles (SNPs) in saline water at high temperature makes these type of nanoparticles inefficient as enhanced oil recovery agent. This study aimed to investigate the permeability impairments of thermally stable partially hydrophilic silica nanoparticles (PH-SNPs) on different sets of porous media at elevated temperatures. Water wet Buff Berea cores were flooded with 5 pore volumes of 0.05 PH-SNPs solution followed by 10 pore volumes of 1.5 brine post flush and permeability before and after PH-SNPs were compared. Experimental results showed that the permeability impairment occurred at all test temperatures in the range from 7 to 28. The lowest permeability impairment occurred at 95oC which indicate PH-SNPs potential for high temperature application. The photomicrographs of treated cores proved the PH-SNPs attachment in the form of single nano size particle and aggregates. The temporary high pressure drops �shocked� suggested likely log-jamming mechanism that favorable for enhanced oil recovery application © EAGE Conference and Exhibition 2021.All right reserved.