Nanoparticle-assisted enhanced oil recovery (Nano-EOR) in unconventional oil reservoirs

非常规油藏纳米粒子辅助提高采收率（Nano-EOR）

• 批准号: RGPIN-2019-05564
• 负责人: Gu, Yongan
• 金额: $ 2.04万
• 依托单位: University of Regina
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2022-01-01 至 2023-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=752785
• 关键词: Nanoparticle; assisted; enhanced; oil; recovery

Canada has tremendous unconventional oil resources, while the conventional oil reserves are being depleted worldwide. For example, the Bakken formation in Western Canada and the adjacent US states has approximately 271-503 billion barrels of light oil-in-place. The oil recovery factors of the primary production in such a tight formation are as low as 1-3%. On the other hand, the Canadian heavy oil reserves are estimated to be 55 billion barrels. A typical cold heavy oil production with sand (CHOPS) can recover 5-15% and thus 85-95% heavy oil is left in the Canadian post-CHOPS reservoirs to be recovered. In many cases, the traditional enhanced oil recovery (EOR) processes cannot effectively and economically exploit these unconventional oil reservoirs. In the past decade, some limited cross-disciplinary studies have indicated that nanotechnology may hold great promise for EOR purposes. In particular, nanoparticles (NPs) with sizes of 1-100 nm show some remarkable characteristics as new EOR agents, in comparison with water, solvents, chemicals and steam that are commonly used in the traditional EOR processes. Thus NP-assisted EOR, which is abbreviated as Nano-EOR, may offer an effective and novel EOR technology to exploit the unconventional oil reservoirs. At present, Nano-EOR is in its infancy. It is still unknown whether Nano-EOR technology can be successfully applied in the oilfields. The primary objective of the proposed NSERC DG research program is to deliver much-needed innovative and fundamental studies of novel Nano-EOR technology for the unconventional oil reservoirs. Some existing or new experimental methods, analytical techniques, mathematical models and numerical simulations will be applied to pursue the following three major research objectives. First, some stable and suitable nanofluids (NFs) will be studied and developed for Nano-EOR. Second, NP retention in a porous medium will be measured and modeled. Third, several promising water- and/or CO2-based Nano-EOR processes will be experimentally tested and numerically simulated to identify the best respective Nano-EOR processes in the Bakken formation and Canadian post-CHOPS reservoirs. This new DG research program will generate new knowledge by studying the EOR mechanisms and complex interactions among NPs, reservoir fluids and formations in the novel Nano-EOR processes. It will provide timely, direct and strong technical support for future Nano-EOR projects. The Canadian petroleum industry will benefit considerably by conducting some efficient Nano-EOR projects and recovering the remaining light and heavy oils from several vast oil-rich formations. Furthermore, Nano-EOR will also help to reduce water and solvent usages in the light oil production and greenhouse gas emissions in the heavy oil production. In the long run, Canada will continue to develop novel and advanced EOR technologies and Canadians will also continue to conserve abundant fresh water and clean air.

加拿大拥有巨大的非常规石油资源，而世界范围内的常规石油储量正在枯竭。例如，加拿大西部和美国邻近州的Bakken地层拥有约2710 - 5030亿桶轻质油。在这种致密地层中，一次采油的采收率低至1-3%。另一方面，加拿大的重油储量估计为550亿桶。典型的含砂冷稠油采收率为5-15%，因此85-95%的稠油仍留在加拿大后chop油藏中待开采。在许多情况下，传统的提高采收率（EOR）工艺不能有效、经济地开发这些非常规油藏。在过去的十年里，一些有限的跨学科研究表明，纳米技术在提高采收率方面可能有很大的前景。特别是，与传统EOR工艺中常用的水、溶剂、化学品和蒸汽相比，粒径为1-100 nm的纳米颗粒（NPs）作为新型EOR药剂表现出了一些显著的特性。因此，np辅助EOR（简称纳米EOR）可能为非常规油藏开发提供一种有效的新型EOR技术。目前，纳米eor技术还处于起步阶段。纳米提高采收率技术能否成功应用于油田，目前仍是一个未知数。NSERC DG研究计划的主要目标是为非常规油藏提供急需的新型纳米eor技术的创新和基础研究。一些现有的或新的实验方法，分析技术，数学模型和数值模拟将应用于追求以下三个主要的研究目标。首先，研究开发稳定、适用于纳米提高采收率的纳米流体。其次，将对多孔介质中的NP保留进行测量和建模。第三，将对几种有前景的水基和/或二氧化碳基纳米提高采收率工艺进行实验测试和数值模拟，以确定Bakken地层和加拿大后chops油藏中各自最佳的纳米提高采收率工艺。这个新的DG研究项目将通过研究新型纳米EOR过程中NPs、储层流体和地层之间复杂的相互作用机制，产生新的知识。它将为未来的纳米eor项目提供及时、直接、有力的技术支持。通过实施一些高效的纳米eor项目，并从几个巨大的富油层中回收剩余的轻油和重油，加拿大石油工业将受益匪浅。此外，纳米eor技术还有助于减少轻质油生产过程中的水和溶剂用量，以及稠油生产过程中的温室气体排放。从长远来看，加拿大将继续开发新颖先进的EOR技术，加拿大也将继续保护丰富的淡水和清洁的空气。