Plenty of Room at the Bottom: Nanotechnology as Solution to an Old Issue in Enhanced Oil Recovery

Abstract

During the past half-century, the prefix “nano” attached to several words, such as “technology”, “motors”, “device”, and so on has denoted cutting-edge research fields and topics at the forefront of classical scientific disciplines. Possible application fields have been frequently evoked, even if real-life examples are still difficult to find. The present review analyzes how nanotechnology is utilized in enhanced oil recovery (EOR) processes so as to increase the efficiency of mature oilfields. Nanotechnology in EOR is classified into three categories: nanoparticles/nanofluids, nanoemulsions, and nanocatalysts. The advantages at the nanoscale are also described and discussed, including an overview of manufacturing methods as well as the concerns about their possible environmental impacts. Clearly, nanotechnology has the potential to boost EOR techniques, although there are still many questions and drawbacks to be tackled.