A bibliometric approach for analyzing the potential role of waste-derived nanoparticles in the upstream oil and gas industry

Abstract

Nanotechnology has been used widely in different industries, including oil and gas. Recent studies now have a growing interest in utilizing waste materials as sustainable sources of nanoparticles for various applications. The main objective of this study was to analyze the recent and past development of waste-derived NPs and their potential applications in the oil and gas sector through a bibliometric analysis. The results showed that publications on nanotechnology applications in the O&G industry continue to grow and waste-derived NPs research outputs, in particular, increase 22.92% annually based on data. Moreover, through a bibliometric analysis, it was found that the research interests in NPs in the industry were concentrated on topics in drilling fluids, field development, enhanced oil recovery, and heavy oil. Further, this research exhibited that developed and oil-producing countries are at the forefront of the application of nanotechnology. However, only a few studies were conducted regarding the utilization of waste-derived NPs, and there are still vast research opportunities on their applications that could promote sustainability and a circular economy.