Influence of Nano Fluid on Interfacial Tension oil/water and Wettability Alteration of limestone

Abstract

Nano materials have a great potential for enhanced oil recovery applications. The present research investigated the effect of nanoparticles on interfacial tension and wettability alteration. The silica oxide nanoparticles with different size 52, 65 and 5nm were used. The wettability alteration was evaluated by dipping the limestone rock in different concentrations of Nano silica (0.01-1wt. %) for a certain silica size suspended in salinity water. Measurements performed in three phase system (oil/water/solid) using pandel droplet and sessile drop method respectively by opitical-tensiometer. Results showed that Nano fluid can significantly reduce contact angle and alterated rock wettability with increasing Nano-silica concentration due to their high surface area in which make it more reactive, yielding the best results when using 0.01 wt.% Nano silica that decreased contact angle to (29°, 59°, 69°, 26°) for 10, 52, 65nm Nano silica size and modified Nano silica respectively for gas / liquid / solid system. in addition, for liquid / liquid/solid system, 0.01 wt.% Nano silica was decreased contact angle to (32°, 36°, 41°, 30°), interfacial tension to (2.26, 2.8, 3, 3.6Nm) for 10, 52, 65nm Nano silica size and modified Nano silica respectively, Interfacial tension decreased with increasing Nano silica concentration, but NPs size have slightly effect on interfacial tension.