Formulation of Bio-Surfactant Augmented with Nanoparticles for Enhanced Oil Recovery

Abstract

Abstract In this study, a novel concept of enhanced oil recovery was explored to improve oil recovery in the Niger Delta oil fields. Experimental investigation of bio-surfactant augmented with nanoparticles was evaluated to determine the influence of the nanoparticles on enhanced oil recovery. Bio-surfactant derived from yellow oleander seeds oil was formulated. Nanoparticles such as silicon oxide, titanium oxide, aluminum oxide and magnesium oxide was used as a displacing fluid due to its ability to alter the rock wettability (oil-wet to water-wet) and interfacial tension reduction of the oil/water interface of the rock property. Core-flooding experiment was conducted using four Berea sandstone cores sample obtained from the Niger Delta oil field to investigate the suitability of the nanoparticles and bio-surfactant in enhanced oil recovery process. The results of this study shows that nanofluid flooding with silicon oxide, titanium oxide, aluminum oxide and magnesium oxide had oil recoveries of 43.72%, 45.76%, 46.12%, and 47.07%, 42.41%, 45.00%, 47.02% and 48.10%, 46.10%, 47.31%, 50.26 % and 51.70%, 40.31%, 41.75%, 44.43% and 45.00% respectively. However, nanoparticles augmented with Bio-surfactant had oil recoveries of 46.20%, 48.08%, 52.00% and 53.31%, 45.61 %, 49.51 %, 50.87% and 51.46%, 47.26 %, 48.90%, 51.20% and 52.90%, 43.70%, 46.01%, 47.52% and 48.21% respectively at different concentrations of nanoparticles and bio-surfactant. The result from this study shows that nanoparticles with bio-surfactant improve oil recovery via interfacial tension reduction and wettability change.