Study on multi-scale oil displacement mechanism polymer/nanoparticle composite flooding

Polymer flooding is a popular enhanced oil recovery (EOR) technique; however, conventional polymers face challenges such as large dosages and limited shear resistance. To address these issues, we proposed a polymer/nanoparticle composite flooding method and investigated its feasibility through labor...

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Main Authors: Bei Wei, Ningyu Zheng, Yu Xue, Jian Hou, Yongsheng Liu, Zhixin Guo, Xuwen Qin, Qingjun Du
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-06-01
Series:Frontiers in Chemistry
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fchem.2025.1605416/full
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author Bei Wei
Bei Wei
Ningyu Zheng
Ningyu Zheng
Yu Xue
Yu Xue
Jian Hou
Jian Hou
Yongsheng Liu
Yongsheng Liu
Zhixin Guo
Zhixin Guo
Xuwen Qin
Xuwen Qin
Qingjun Du
Qingjun Du
author_facet Bei Wei
Bei Wei
Ningyu Zheng
Ningyu Zheng
Yu Xue
Yu Xue
Jian Hou
Jian Hou
Yongsheng Liu
Yongsheng Liu
Zhixin Guo
Zhixin Guo
Xuwen Qin
Xuwen Qin
Qingjun Du
Qingjun Du
author_sort Bei Wei
collection DOAJ
description Polymer flooding is a popular enhanced oil recovery (EOR) technique; however, conventional polymers face challenges such as large dosages and limited shear resistance. To address these issues, we proposed a polymer/nanoparticle composite flooding method and investigated its feasibility through laboratory experiments. We first characterized the rheological properties and interfacial tension of various polymer/nano-SiO2 composite systems and examined their microscopic morphology using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Subsequently, we conducted two-dimensional microscopic flooding experiments to evaluate sweep efficiency and analyze residual oil distribution patterns. Finally, we performed core flooding experiments to compare injection pressure and recovery efficiency among different flooding systems. Results indicate that the presence of nano-SiO2 effectively enhanced the viscosity of the polymer system. The viscosity-increasing mechanism is nanoparticles adsorbing onto polymer molecular chains to form network structures. The polymer/nano-SiO2 composite system significantly increased sweep efficiency and promoted the transformation of residual oil from reticulated patterns to cluster, membrane, and punctiform patterns. Compared to polymer flooding, the polymer/nano-SiO2 composite system required a smaller amount of usage, effectively avoids environmental pollution, and showed better injectivity, achieving a 6% higher recovery while reducing injection pressure by up to 14%.
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institution OA Journals
issn 2296-2646
language English
publishDate 2025-06-01
publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
record_format Article
series Frontiers in Chemistry
spelling doaj-art-99bbf3d923b64d778a10e86d674f48fd2025-08-20T02:01:57ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Chemistry2296-26462025-06-011310.3389/fchem.2025.16054161605416Study on multi-scale oil displacement mechanism polymer/nanoparticle composite floodingBei Wei0Bei Wei1Ningyu Zheng2Ningyu Zheng3Yu Xue4Yu Xue5Jian Hou6Jian Hou7Yongsheng Liu8Yongsheng Liu9Zhixin Guo10Zhixin Guo11Xuwen Qin12Xuwen Qin13Qingjun Du14Qingjun Du15State Key Laboratory of Deep Oil and Gas, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao, ChinaSchool of Petroleum Engineering, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao, Shandong, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Deep Oil and Gas, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao, ChinaSchool of Petroleum Engineering, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao, Shandong, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Deep Oil and Gas, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao, ChinaSchool of Petroleum Engineering, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao, Shandong, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Deep Oil and Gas, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao, ChinaSchool of Petroleum Engineering, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao, Shandong, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Deep Oil and Gas, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao, ChinaSchool of Petroleum Engineering, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao, Shandong, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Deep Oil and Gas, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao, ChinaSchool of Petroleum Engineering, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao, Shandong, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Deep Oil and Gas, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao, ChinaSchool of Petroleum Engineering, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao, Shandong, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Deep Oil and Gas, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao, ChinaSchool of Petroleum Engineering, China University of Petroleum (East China), Qingdao, Shandong, ChinaPolymer flooding is a popular enhanced oil recovery (EOR) technique; however, conventional polymers face challenges such as large dosages and limited shear resistance. To address these issues, we proposed a polymer/nanoparticle composite flooding method and investigated its feasibility through laboratory experiments. We first characterized the rheological properties and interfacial tension of various polymer/nano-SiO2 composite systems and examined their microscopic morphology using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Subsequently, we conducted two-dimensional microscopic flooding experiments to evaluate sweep efficiency and analyze residual oil distribution patterns. Finally, we performed core flooding experiments to compare injection pressure and recovery efficiency among different flooding systems. Results indicate that the presence of nano-SiO2 effectively enhanced the viscosity of the polymer system. The viscosity-increasing mechanism is nanoparticles adsorbing onto polymer molecular chains to form network structures. The polymer/nano-SiO2 composite system significantly increased sweep efficiency and promoted the transformation of residual oil from reticulated patterns to cluster, membrane, and punctiform patterns. Compared to polymer flooding, the polymer/nano-SiO2 composite system required a smaller amount of usage, effectively avoids environmental pollution, and showed better injectivity, achieving a 6% higher recovery while reducing injection pressure by up to 14%.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fchem.2025.1605416/fullpolymer floodingnano-SiO2enhanced oil recoverymicroscopic flooding experimentscore displacement experiment
spellingShingle Bei Wei
Bei Wei
Ningyu Zheng
Ningyu Zheng
Yu Xue
Yu Xue
Jian Hou
Jian Hou
Yongsheng Liu
Yongsheng Liu
Zhixin Guo
Zhixin Guo
Xuwen Qin
Xuwen Qin
Qingjun Du
Qingjun Du
Study on multi-scale oil displacement mechanism polymer/nanoparticle composite flooding
Frontiers in Chemistry
polymer flooding
nano-SiO2
enhanced oil recovery
microscopic flooding experiments
core displacement experiment
title Study on multi-scale oil displacement mechanism polymer/nanoparticle composite flooding
title_full Study on multi-scale oil displacement mechanism polymer/nanoparticle composite flooding
title_fullStr Study on multi-scale oil displacement mechanism polymer/nanoparticle composite flooding
title_full_unstemmed Study on multi-scale oil displacement mechanism polymer/nanoparticle composite flooding
title_short Study on multi-scale oil displacement mechanism polymer/nanoparticle composite flooding
title_sort study on multi scale oil displacement mechanism polymer nanoparticle composite flooding
topic polymer flooding
nano-SiO2
enhanced oil recovery
microscopic flooding experiments
core displacement experiment
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fchem.2025.1605416/full
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