Application of Nanotechnology for Enhanced Oil Recovery: A Review

Abstract

Nanotechnology has significant contributions on developing modern industries, such as electronics, biomedical, materials, manufacturing, and energy industry. The changes introduced by nanotechnology, have currently extended to several areas for oil and gas industry, namely exploration, drilling, production, refining and enhanced oil recovery (EOR). This study focuses on attraction to the worldwide attention of nanotechnology and how this method effects oil breakthrough and improves EOR. This Study also implies that parameters such as rock types, crude oil types, nanoparticle types, concentrations, and sizes, have significant factors on recovery factor (RF) through improving key-parameters such as oil relative permeability, interfacial tension (IFT), wettability, transmissibility and particles retention.