Industry and Academia Continue Working on Big Ideas for Nanotechnology

Abstract

The nanotechnologies enjoying commercial success in the oil field today are small in number, and for the most part, can be categorized as single-well applications. Examples include the dissolvable ball-drop systems used in horizontal well completions and the specialty additives operators are using to enhance drilling fluids. The next big leap for this area of emerging technology will be the development of nanoparticles that work on larger scales, either in production operations or for fluid treatment. Counted among the industry’s nanopioneers, Saudi Aramco is getting closer to the deployment of nanoparticles for a number of reservoir-wide applications. Others are working on creating nanoparticles that will improve the performance of waterflooding, and university researchers in Texas are developing a magnetic nanoparticle that aims to make offshore water treatment more efficient, and possibly more economic. These concepts were presented at SPE’s Annual Technology Conference and Exhibition held last year in Dubai. Taken together, they offer a small, yet compelling, sample of the ideas still working their way through the pipeline. Kirk Rainey, the vice president of A&I Ventures in Houston and a former chemical-enhanced oil recovery expert at Shell, has been involved with nanotechnology consortiums for more than 7 years. Speaking generally, he explained that the oil and gas industry is interested in nanoparticles partly because of the potential efficiencies they offer. It helps to think of nanoparticles from a chemical perspective; their collectively high-surface-area—typically where chemical reactions take place—means even relatively small volumes can make a big impact. “The negatives include the fact that in many cases engineering these nanoparticles, or nanostructures, can be very costly,” said Rainey. “And while it may be easy to do on a small scale, learning how to scale something up to the oil field is going to take a lot of effort, and the ability to do that is sometimes unknown.” That point about scale is very important, especially when discussing reservoir applications. Rainey emphasized that if large doses of nanoparticles are needed, then their cost must be relatively low to justify their use. He said the ability to strike such a balance will separate “laboratory curiosities” from viable commercial products.