Experimental investigation of the effect of dispersed silica and alumina nanoparticles on oil-aqueous phase interfacial tension

Abstract

This work experimentally investigated silicon oxide and aluminum (III) oxide nanoparticles as enhanced oil recovery agents and their effects on wettability and interfacial tension of oil-wetted sandstone and carbonate rocks. The two nanoparticles were selected based on a screening of commercially available nanoparticles with considering the most important parameters. The required time and treatments for the rock samples to become oil-wet, and the required time for the nanofluid to treat each rock sample were also experimentally investigated. Results of this study show that the nanoparticles alter wettability of sandstone and carbonate rocks from oil-wet to water-wet state. It is also observed that sandstone samples are more effected than limestone ones and alumina nanoparticles have greater potential to alter the rock wettability.