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The Application of Nanofluids for

Enhanced Oil Recovery: Effects on
Interfacial Tension and Coreflooding
Process
a a
E. Joonaki & S. Ghanaatian
a
Ahwaz Faculty of Petroleum, Petroleum University of Technology,
Ahwaz, Iran
Published online: 02 Sep 2014.

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To cite this article: E. Joonaki & S. Ghanaatian (2014) The Application of Nanofluids for Enhanced Oil
Recovery: Effects on Interfacial Tension and Coreflooding Process, Petroleum Science and Technology,
32:21, 2599-2607, DOI: 10.1080/10916466.2013.855228

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 Petroleum Science and Technology, 32:2599–2607, 2014
Copyright 
C Taylor & Francis Group, LLC
ISSN: 1091-6466 print / 1532-2459 online
DOI: 10.1080/10916466.2013.855228

The Application of Nanofluids for Enhanced Oil Recovery:

Effects on Interfacial Tension and Coreflooding Process

E. Joonaki1 and S. Ghanaatian1

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1
Ahwaz Faculty of Petroleum, Petroleum University of Technology, Ahwaz, Iran

Most oil reservoirs around the world are experiencing their second half of life. Hence, the necessity of
appropriate enhanced oil recovery (EOR) method as a more efficient technology gets further importance.
Nanotechnology is an advanced technology that has proved its potential to enhance oil recovery. In this
study, some selected types of nanoparticles were used, which were aluminum oxide, iron oxide, and
silicon oxide treated by silane, as EOR agents during different flooding scenarios and EOR experiments
under surface conditions. For the first time, the application of propanol as a dispersing agent of nanopar-
ticles and EOR agent in the formation was investigated by this research work. In order to examine the
recovery mechanisms of nanofluids, interfacial tension (IFT), and contact angle measurements between
different concentrations of nanofluids and crude oil were measured. Then, several coreflood experiments
were conducted to investigate their impacts directly on recoveries. The experiment results show that
the nanofluids can decrease the IFT between water and oil phases and make the solid surface more
neutral wet. Results indicate that aluminum oxide and silicon oxide treated by silane are good agents
for enhanced oil recovery, while silicon one changes rock wettability more in addition to reduction of
interfacial tension between oil and water. According to the results the future expectation is that these
nanoparticles with their dispersing agent could mobilize more oil in the pore network at field scale to
improve oil recovery.
Keywords: enhanced oil recovery, nanoparticles, dispersing agent, interfacial tension, rock wettability,
coreflooding

1. INTRODUCTION

Nowadays attention is being paid to more efficient technology for recovering from the existing
oil reservoirs. In many of the world’s oil reservoirs about two-thirds of the oil in place cannot be
recovered by conventional production methods. This trapped oil can be recovered by reducing the
capillary forces that prevent oil from flowing within the pores of reservoir rock and into the well
bore. Capillary pressure, the force necessary to squeeze a hydrocarbon droplet through a pore throat,
decreases by reduction of oil-water interfacial tension and wettability alteration (Anderson, 1986;
Donaldson et al., 1989).
The wettability of a formation can be changed by nanoparticles. The use of nanoparticles to
alter rock wettability and its following effect on oil recovery has been published by several authors
(Bishan et al., 2005; Ju and Fan, 2009; Onyekonwu and Ogolo, 2010) . Oil viscosity can be reduced

Address correspondence to E. Joonaki, Number 6, Karkheh Street, 13th Street, Kianpars Avenue, Ahwaz, Iran. E-mail:
edris.junaki@gmail.com
Color versions of one or more of the figures in the article can be found online at www.tandfonline.com/lpet.

2599
 2600 E. JOONAKI AND S. GHANAATIAN

TABLE 1
The Core Plugs Properties for Coreflooding Experiments

Cores C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6 C7 C8 C9

Average diameter, cm 4.15 4.15 4.15 4.14 4.15 4.15 4.14 4.15 4.13
Average length, cm 5.78 5.78 5.77 5.76 5.78 5.77 5.78 5.78 5.78
Porosity, % 17.45 18.12 17.34 17.2 18.15 17.51 17.26 17.85 17.68
Absolute permeability, mD 110.4 109.32 108.21 111.53 107.34 112.11 107.94 110.87 106.97
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by using of the aluminum oxide nanoparticles. Several research projects have focused on the use
of nanoparticles in solving problems related to oil and gas production in the formation. Hence, it
is necessary to demonstrate the effect of different nanoparticles on oil recovery since this is the
primary objective of the oil industry. A significant role in oil displacement efficiency is played
by fluids (Nares et al., 2007; Wu et al., 2008). Because the nanoparticles are solids and as such
need a fluid to carry them into the formation, the contribution of the fluids in displacing oil could
be mistaken for or attributed to the presence of the nano agent. Hence, the experiments were first
conducted by using these fluids alone without nanoparticles. Then other experiments were conducted
by using these fluids with nanoparticles in them. Silicon oxide dispersed in ethanol has been reported
to give good results. This research work demonstrates among other things the effect of propanol
with various nanoparticles and propanol alone on oil recovery. Here we also present a comparison
between recovery efficiency of aluminum oxide, silicon oxide treated by silane, and iron oxide in
enhancing oil recovery from one Iranian oil reservoir and discuss the main mechanisms contributed
in oil recovery. The plotted graphs from the results clearly identify which type of nanoparticles
works better to enhance oil recovery.

2. EXPERIMENTAL

2.1 Materials

Nine core plugs that are used in this study are sandstone rocks that obtained from one of the Iranian
oil formation. Table 1 shows the result of cores character descriptions. The synthetic brine used for
the experiments was prepared in chemistry laboratory has a salinity of 25,000 ppm. The degassed
reservoir oil used for the experiments obtained from Bangestan reservoir that is one of the Iranian
oil reservoirs. The properties of the oil are presented in Table 2. Three types of nanoparticles were
used. These nanoparticles are iron oxide (Fe2 O3 ), aluminum oxide (Al2 O3 ), and silicon oxide treated
by silane (SiO2 ). Nanoparticles were purchased from china and their sizes are given on Table 3.
Different concentrations of nanofluids were prepared by dispersing nanoparticles in propanol by
means of ultrasonic apparatus for 15 min (600 W, 25 kHz).

TABLE 2
Properties of the Oil

Property Value

Viscosity 40.38cp
API gravity 29.56◦
 APPLICATION OF NANOFLUIDS FOR ENHANCED OIL RECOVERY 2601

TABLE 3
Properties of the Nanoparticles

Type of Nanoparticle Surface Area, m2/g Particle Size, nm

Aluminum oxide (Al2 O3 ) ∼60 40

Iron oxide (Fe2 O3 ) 40–60 20–35
Silicon oxide treated by silane (SiO2 ) >400 10–30

2.2 Interfacial Tension and Wettability Measurements

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To demonstrate the effect of nanofluids on oil-water interfacial tension and rock wettability, interfa-
cial tests and contact angle measurements were performed. The concentration yielding the highest
alteration in contact and the lowest value of interfacial tension was considered the ideal concen-
tration, which is employed in nanofluid injection scenarios. The highest alteration in contact angle
indicates the highest adsorption of nanoparticles on porous media resulted in wettability changes
and the lowest interfacial tension. It investigates the considered nanofluids potential to enhance oil
recovery. Five concentrations of nanoparticles with propanol that were 0.5, 1 1.5, 2, and 3 g/L were
considered for contact angle and interfacial tension measurements. Two sets of measurements were
conducted in line to determine oil-water interfacial tension alterations caused by nanofluids. The
apparatus cell was filled by brine and then by mixture of brine and nanofluid. A droplet of oil was
injected to the system in both cases. The recorded pictures of oil droplets were then utilized to
determine the interfacial tension. The measurement of contact angles was investigated to understand
how efficient nanofluids can change the rock wettability. Six sandstone core plugs were first cut in
small plates (3 × 3 × 1 cm) using a trimming machine, polished and were saturated by water. Then
these plates were laid vertically in different concentrations of nanofluids for 3 h in room temperature
(25◦ C). The images of oil droplets on the sandstone plates were taken using a microscopic camera
and contact angles were measured.

2.3 Coreflooding Experiments

The core plugs were cleaned by soxhlet apparatus before the coreflood experiments. Afterward the
cleaned samples were put into an oven at a temperature of 110◦ C for two days to dry all core samples.
The schematic of core flooding experiment apparatus is shown in Figure 1. The core plugs were
flooded by brine in order to measure absolute water permeability. Then reservoir oil injected into
samples until no additional water produced and aged for 72 h to restore the reservoir equilibrium
condition. Coreflood experiments were performed in ambient condition with flow rate of 65 cc/h. In
this study three different scenarios were demonstrated for nanofluid injection. In the first scenario,
nanofluids were injected after injection of three pore volumes of brine. In the second one, nanofluids
were injected after five pore volumes of propanol injection. In the third one, nanofluids were injected
from the beginning, where all the recovery was taken by nanofluids injection.

3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

3.1 Effect of Nanofluids on Interfacial Tensions and Contact Angles

The results of contact angle measurements after application of different nanofluids are presented in
Figure 2. An alteration is observed in rock wettability after treatment of surface with nanoparticles.
 2602 E. JOONAKI AND S. GHANAATIAN
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FIGURE 1 Schematic of coreflooding experiment.

FIGURE 2 Contact angle measurements for different nanofluid concentrations.

 APPLICATION OF NANOFLUIDS FOR ENHANCED OIL RECOVERY 2603
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FIGURE 3 Interfacial tension measurements for different nanofluid concentrations.

According to Figure 2, rock wettability was changed toward neutral-wet status with increase in
nanofluids concentrations. The oil-water contact angle of cleaned rock plates were about 134◦ , 131◦ ,
and 132.5◦ . The results show that SiO2 had the best effects on wettability alterations; it changed the
contact angle from 134◦ to 82◦ , and also Al2 O3 had better performance than Fe2 O3 . In addition, a
comparison between degree of wettability alterations due to different nanofluids concentrations the
concentration of 1.5 g/L is the ideal one due to the fact that it demonstrates the significant part of
wettability alterations in proportion to its concentrations. This reduction of contact angle is the result
of nanoparticles adsorption on the rock surfaces, because slices were placed vertically in nanofluids
during the treatment of surface process. Figure 3 indicates interfacial tension values, which were
caused by using different concentrations of nanofluids. According to Figure 3, oil-water interfacial
tension was decreased by an increase in concentrations of nanofluids. Interfacial tension between oil
and water get the value of 38.5 dyne/cm before application of nanofluids. Employing Al2 O3 , Fe2 O3 ,
and SiO2 nanofluids reduces interfacial tensions from 38.5 dyne/cm to 2.25, 2.75, and 1.45 dyne/cm,
respectively. This amount of reduction in interfacial tension proves the efficiency of nanoparticles in
oil mobilization. Reduction of oil-water interfacial tension leads to easy flow of trapped oil, because
it decreases the work of deformation needed for oil droplets to move through pore throat.

3.2 Enhanced Oil Recovery by Nanofluid Injection Process

As it is mentioned previously, three scenarios for nanofluid injections are investigated. As Figure 4
indicates, in the first scenario three pore volumes of brine were injected into the core followed by
three pore volumes of nanofluids. It is shown that most of the oil was produced within first pore
volume injection during waterflooding. Little amount of oil was produced after breakthrough, which
proved that the rock was water wet. In second region that belongs to nanofluid injections, most of the
 2604 E. JOONAKI AND S. GHANAATIAN
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FIGURE 4 Oil recovery versus injected pore volume for the first scenario.

oil was produced within the first pore volume of nanofluid injections. It proves that the nanofluids
have strong ability and role to mobilize the immobile and trapped oil right away. The following
sequence of fluid production at outlet was caused by nanofluid injections, first of all brine, then a
mixture of nanofluids and brine and eventually oil. The oil recoveries before and after the nanofluid
injections are presented in Figure 4. Waterflooding recovery was 56.6%. When Al2 O3 , Fe2 O3 , and
SiO2 were injected into the cores, recovery was increased by 20.2%, 17.3%, and 22.5%, and total
recovery reached 76.8%, 73.9%, and 79.1% respectively.
In the second scenario, five pore volumes of propanol in injected into the core followed by four
pore volumes of nanofluids. As it is shown in Figure 5, oil recovery at the breakthrough was 58.9%
and the total recovery after injection of five pore volumes of propanol was 70.1%. According to the
observations, the following sequence of fluid production at outlet was caused by nanofluid injections:
propanol, then a mixture of propanol and nanofluid, and after that oil trapped within nanofluid, and,
last, nanofluid. Additional oil recovery that was observed from the injection of Al2 O3 , Fe2 O3 , and
SiO2 was 19.4%, 17.1%, and 21.6%, respectively. It indicates the efficiency of the nanofluids in
enhanced oil recovery. Total oil recovery reached 89.5%, 87.2%, and 91.7% for the injection of
Al2 O3 , Fe2 O3 , and SiO2 , respectively.
In third scenario, nanofluids were injected into the cores from the beginning. According to the
observations, the following sequence of fluid production at outlet was caused by nanofluid injections,
first of all oil, then a mixture of brine and oil, after that a mixture of brine, oil and nanofluids and
eventually nanofluids. Figure 6 shows that extra oil recovery after the injection of Al2 O3 , Fe2 O3 ,
and SiO2 was 92.5%, 88.6%, and 95.3%, respectively. Here high amount of oil recovery indicates
the probability of lack of oil trapping mechanism. Generally oil can be trapped in two cases after
waterflooding process: (a) oil trapping within water phase, which is called Jamin effect; and (b)
trapping in back of the pore throats. It is thought to be true that just the second case of oil trapping
was occurred, because there is no waterflooding process here.
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FIGURE 5 Oil recovery versus injected pore volume for the second scenario.

FIGURE 6 Oil recovery versus injected pore volume for the third scenario.
 2606 E. JOONAKI AND S. GHANAATIAN

3.3 Mechanism

Nearly all the remaining oil is immobile after the waterflooding process. The discontinuous residual
oil exists in the form of spherical globules behind pore throats and cannot pass through them.
Presence of nanoparticles in the porous media improves oil recovery through two main mechanisms
of interfacial tension reduction and wettability alteration from water wet to neutral wet state. Capillary
pressure plays an important role for displacement of oil in the porous media after the waterflooding.
The impact of nanoparticles on oil-water interfacial tension and rock wettability reduces its negative
effect. Reduction of interfacial tension reduces the work of deformation needed for oil droplets to
move through pore throat. The changes of rock wettability from water wet to neutral wet raises
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the amount of contact angle between wetting phase and rock surface in addition to reduction of
capillary pressure. Nanoparticles affect the immobile oil droplets and mobilize them toward flow
lines as a result of reduction in the capillary pressure by two main mechanisms of interfacial tension
wettability alterations.

4. CONCLUSIONS

This research work demonstrates the capability of different nanofluids for enhanced oil recovery
during different nanofluid injection scenarios. The following conclusions can be obtained from the
results:
1. The nanofluids change the rock wettability from water wet to neutral wet state and decrease
oil-water interfacial tension.
2. Aluminum oxide nanoparticles that are dispersed in propanol have more tendencies to en-
hance oil recovery than iron oxide nanoparticles. However, both of them are applicable.
3. Silicon oxide treated by silane that is dispersed in propanol has the most tendencies to
enhance oil recovery through the interfacial tension reduction and wettability alterations.
4. In the third scenario, total oil recoveries by the nanofluids are 92.5%, 88.6%, and 95.3%. It
indicates that if nanofluid injection begins earlier, the oil recoveries will be higher and less
amount of oil is trapped within the porous media.
5. Propanol, when is used alone without nanoparticles, also enhances oil recovery. Comparing
the efficiency of different fluids, without nanoparticles in them, generally it can be seen that
propanol gives good recovery.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors are so grateful to Mr. Mohammadi, technician of rock and fluid properties laboratories
at Petroleum University of Technology.

FUNDING

This research work was supported by Petroleum University of Technology and National Iranian Oil
Company (NIOC).

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Particuol. 4:41–46.
 APPLICATION OF NANOFLUIDS FOR ENHANCED OIL RECOVERY 2607

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