Nano Boost for Oil Recovery ! #worldresearchawards #researchaward #researcher #chemicalengineering
Nanoparticles are redefining the chemistry of enhanced oil recovery (EOR) by introducing tunable surface chemistry, interfacial phenomena, and colloidal interactions into petroleum reservoirs. This video explores how engineered nanomaterials are chemically designed to modify fluid–rock interactions, improve hydrocarbon mobilization, and enhance reservoir sweep efficiency. In conventional reservoirs, a large fraction of oil remains trapped due to capillary forces, wettability effects, and high interfacial tension between oil and water phases. Nanoparticles such as silica (SiO₂), alumina (Al₂O₃), iron oxide (Fe₃O₄), and carbon-based nanostructures are functionalized with specific ligands and surface charges to alter these physicochemical barriers. By adsorbing onto mineral surfaces, nanoparticles can shift rock wettability from oil-wet to water-wet, promoting spontaneous imbibition and increased oil displacement. Furthermore, nanoparticles reduce oil–water interfacial tension through i...