Investigation of Graphene Oxide Nanoparticles Effect on Heavy Oil Viscosity

Abstract

Abstract Heavy oil and bitumen comprise nearly 70% of remaining oil reserves. Producing such oil is very challenging and critical, as its viscosity should be reduced to a level which can be mobile in the reservoir that can be made by different thermal recovery methods. Aquathermolysis reaction is the main objective used to analysis and explain the effect of nanoparticles addition on heavy oil for viscosity reduction. Several thermal recovery techniques have been implemented using different nanometals for recovery improvement of heavy oil reservoirs and viscosity reduction. These published trials focused on nanometals but none of them addressed usage of Graphene oxide nanoparticles for such improvement of heavy oil recovery, and therefore this paper represents an experimental investigation of graphene oxide effect on heavy oil production. The present work examines graphene oxide nanoparticle effect on heavy oil viscosity since graphene is a superlative material that has an extraordinary thermal conductivity up to ten times value of any nanometal. In order to check its efficiency for Heavy oil recovery. In our work, the concentration used for these nanoparticles is ranging from 0.01: 0.5 wt. %. The viscosity of these nanoparticles with heavy oil sample has been measured to explain the expected improvement in recovery factor. The Experimental work showed a large change in the viscosity after using nano Graphene oxide reached to 40:60% reduction in its original values. In addition to the viscosity, the effect of reservoir temperature is investigated. The range of temperature used in this study varies between 40° to 100° C. These results reflect strong indications for better viscosity reduction. Therefore, better recovery factor for this heavy oil. Also, Therotical and experimental explanation have been conducted for that viscosity reduction behavior. Thus, this present research provides an investigation of aquathermolysis reaction for such materials which is the main reason for that heavy oil viscosity reduction behavior, also it represents Graphene Oxide as new nanoparticles for improving Heavy Oil Recovery that will create a new era in thermal recovery for heavy oil. Also, an economic study is investigated.