Biosynthesis of silica nanoparticle using Saccharomyces cervisiae and its application on enhanced oil recovery

Abstract

Using nanotechnology to increase the recovery of oil reservoirs can be a good way to meet energy demand, in order to increase oil production and reduce production costs. Biotechnology of nanoparticles using microorganisms as an environmentally friendly research field in nanotechnology around the world is a rapid development and is considered as a substitute for conventional and physical chemical methods. Optimizing processes can lead to morphology, control of the size and speed of nanoparticle synthesis reactions. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to build a reflection on the current status and future projects, and in particular the feasibility and limitations of the biotechnology approach proposed in the oil industry. In this research, Saccharomyces cervisiae yeast has been used for biochemical production of silica nanoparticles. This yeast is cultivated in its own culture medium. This yeast solution made after the addition of Sodium Silicate Precursor placed in the proper conditions of growth, i.e., temperature of 29 °C, away from the types of contamination and the passage of time, reducing the silica nanoparticles from the initial precursor. In this research, after performing the silica nanoparticle production processes, identification tests such as FTIR, XRD, SEM, DLS and TGA are performed. Then, in order to investigate the effect of this nanoparticle on the production efficiency of the oil, these nanoparticles were added to injectable solutions to an oil-wet micro-model with different concentrations of 250 ppm, 500 ppm and 1000 ppm. It was observed that the difference in the effect of nanoparticles produced by the biochemical method and commercial nanoparticles purchased in the injection process and on the measurement of the production efficiency of oil was that biosynthesized nanoparticles increased oil production efficiency by about 5–7 percent relative to commercial nanoparticles.