RETRACTED ARTICLE: Interactions of ferro-nanoparticles (hematite and magnetite) with reservoir sandstone: implications for surface adsorption and interfacial tension reduction

Abdullah Musa Ali,Noorhana Yahya,Saima Qureshi

doi:10.1007/s12182-019-00409-w

Abdullah Musa Ali, Noorhana Yahya + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1007/s12182-019-00409-w

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Abstract

There are a few studies on the use of ferro-nanofluids for enhanced oil recovery, despite their magnetic properties; hence, it is needed to study the adsorption of iron oxide (Fe2O3 and Fe3O4) nanoparticles (NPs) on rock surfaces. This is important as the colloidal transport of NPs through the reservoir is subject to particle adsorption on the rock surface. Molecular dynamics simulation was used to determine the interfacial energy (strength) and adsorption of Fe2O3 and Fe3O4 nanofluids infused in reservoir sandstones. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photon spectroscopy (XPS) were used to monitor interaction of silicate species with Fe2O3 and Fe3O4. The spectral changes show the variation of dominating silicate anions in the solution. Also, the XPS peaks for Si, C and Fe at 190, 285 and 700 eV, respectively, are less distinct in the spectra of sandstone aged in the Fe3O4 nanofluid, suggesting the intense adsorption of the Fe3O4 with the crude oil. The measured IFT for brine/oil, Fe2O3/oil and Fe3O4/oil are 40, 36.17 and 31 mN/m, respectively. Fe3O4 infused with reservoir sandstone exhibits a higher silicate sorption capacity than Fe2O3, due to their larger number of active surface sites and saturation magnetization, which accounts for the effectiveness of Fe3O4 in reducing IFT.

Highlights

The main magnetic molecules in the ferro-nanofluid group are Fe3O4, α-Fe2O3, γ-Fe2O3, FeO, ε-Fe2O3 and β-Fe2O3 (Negin et al 2016; Tsai et al 2010; Wu et al 2008). Huh et al (2015) reported that ferrofluids compriseEdited by Yan-Hua SunUniversiti Teknologi PETRONAS, 32610 Seri Iskandar, Perak, MalaysiaGeology Department, Bayero University, Kano, Kano, Nigeria hydrophobic magnetic, paramagnetic or superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (NPs)
Iron oxide (Fe2O3/Fe3O4) NPs can increase the viscosity of the displacing fluid, resulting in higher sweep efficiency, which is important since most sandstone reservoirs act as neutral or preferentially oil-wet due to adsorption of acidic component of crude oil on their surfaces (Buckley and Liu 1998; Rezaei Gomari et al 2006)
The concept of using ferro-nanofluids was introduced in enhanced oil recovery (EOR)-related processes by Kothari et al (2010), where they reported that iron oxide NPs are able to reduce viscosity

Summary

Introduction

The main magnetic molecules in the ferro-nanofluid group are Fe3O4 (magnetite), α-Fe2O3 (hematite, weakly ferromagnetic or antiferromagnetic), γ-Fe2O3 (maghemite, ferrimagnetic), FeO (wüstite, antiferromagnetic), ε-Fe2O3 and β-Fe2O3 (Negin et al 2016; Tsai et al 2010; Wu et al 2008). Huh et al (2015) reported that ferrofluids compriseEdited by Yan-Hua SunUniversiti Teknologi PETRONAS, 32610 Seri Iskandar, Perak, MalaysiaGeology Department, Bayero University, Kano, Kano, Nigeria hydrophobic magnetic, paramagnetic or superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (NPs). Iron oxide (Fe2O3/Fe3O4) NPs can increase the viscosity of the displacing fluid, resulting in higher sweep efficiency, which is important since most sandstone reservoirs act as neutral or preferentially oil-wet due to adsorption of acidic component of crude oil on their surfaces (Buckley and Liu 1998; Rezaei Gomari et al 2006). The concept of using ferro-nanofluids was introduced in enhanced oil recovery (EOR)-related processes by Kothari et al (2010), where they reported that iron oxide NPs are able to reduce viscosity. Kothari et al (2010) reported that ferro-nanofluids reduce interfacial tension (IFT) in both oil-wet and water-wet reservoirs by causing the collapse of isolated oil bubbles confined in the centre of the pores.

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