Magnetically Labelled Hybrid Nanosurfactant MLHNS for Upstream Oil and Gas Operations

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nouf AlJabri ◽  
Hussain Shatteb ◽  
Mustafa Saffar ◽  
Amr AbdelFattah

Abstract Nanoencapsulation and targeted chemical delivery techniques have transformed many fields such as pharmaceutical drug delivery for medical treatment and diagnosis, and can similarly transform several upstream oil and gas operations. This paper describes the dual nanoencapsulation of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPOINs) and petroleum sulfonate surfactants to produce hybrid nanosurfactant (MLHNS) in high-salinity water (56,000 ppm) using an inexpensive, scalable, and straightforward synthesis protocol. This novel magnetically labelled nanofluid (NF) is designed to: 1) enhance the residual oil mobilization via altering the rocks wettability and reducing the interfacial tension, and 2) enable in-situ monitoring of injected fluids when combined with EM surveys. NFs encapsulating a petroleum sulfonate surfactant and three different concentrations of 5-nm SPOINs were prepared using a two-step nanoencapsulation method. Both colloidal and chemical stability of the prepared formulations were tested at 90 °C for over a year. Results showed that all the formulations exhibited remarkable long-term colloidal and chemical stability under these close-to-reservoir conditions. Transition electron microscopy (TEM) images confirmed the encapsulation of SPIONs. The SPOINs-NFs have successfully reduced the interfacial tension (IFT) between crude oil and water by more than three orders of magnitude (from ~ 25 mN/m down to ~ 0.01 mN/m). These IFT and stability results demonstrate a strong synergy between SPIONs and the petroleum sulfonate surfactant. It is worth mentioning that this novel encapsulation platform enables the encapsulation of a wide range of nanoparticles (NPs) to generate a library of multi-function NFs to support several upstream applications.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmed Wasel Alsmaeil ◽  
Mohamed Amen Hammami ◽  
Amr Ismail Abdel-Fattah ◽  
Mazin Yousef Kanj ◽  
Emmanuel P Giannelis

Abstract Developing nanocarriers deliver molecules to targeted locations has received widespread attention in different fields ranging from biomedical to oil and gas industries. Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles (MSNs), where the pore size diameter ranges from 2-50 nm, have become attractive in many fields including biomedicine. One advantage is the ability to control the size, morphology of the particles, and the internal and external surfaces properties which enable encapsulating molecules of different size and charges. Moreover, it is possible to functionalize the pores and the surface of the MSNs, which make them suitable to host different molecules and release them in situ in a controlled manner. Despite the numerous studies of MSNs, little has been devoted to subsurface applications. This review will highlight some of the interesting characteristics of MSNs that make them promising carriers of molecules for slow and/or stimuli-responsive delivery for oil field applications. For example, they could be utilized for the controlled release of surfactants for enhanced oil recovery applications to minimize surfactant losses near the well-bore area. The mesoporous materials can be designed to harvest the ions normally present in oil field water, and the high temperatures encountered when travelling deep in the reservoir to release the surfactant. The ion exchange process makes it possible to engineer the MSNs to release their cargo for efficient and stimuli responsive delivery applications. The ion-responsive release was analyzed by the interfacial tension behavior between crude oil and high salinity water (HSW). It is concluded that the interfacial tension could be reduced up to 0.0045 mN/m when the mesoporous silica particles are suspended in HSW in comparison to 0.9 mN/m when suspended in DI water.


1973 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 480
Author(s):  
J. M. Killey

As onshore oil and gas deposits are becoming more difficult to locate, and as the world demands for energy continue to increase at an alarming rate, oil companies are channeling much of their exploration activities towards offshore operations, and in particular, towards operations centered off Canada's coast lines. Because of the environment, offshore drilling presents problems which are novel to the onshore-geared oil industry. J. M. Killey discusses in detail many of the considerations involved in drafting the offshore drilling contract, concentrating on problems such as the liability of the various parties; costs; scheduling; pollution; conflict of laws; etc. Similarly, he discusses service contracts (such as supply boat charters; towing services; helicopter services; etc.^ which are necessity to the operation of an offshore drilling rig. To complement his paper, the author has included number of appendices which list the various considerations lawyer must keep in mind when drafting contracts for offshore operations.


2018 ◽  
Vol 55 (3) ◽  
pp. 252-257 ◽  
Author(s):  
Derong Xu ◽  
Wanli Kang ◽  
Liming Zhang ◽  
Jiatong Jiang ◽  
Zhe Li ◽  
...  

2018 ◽  
Vol 58 (2) ◽  
pp. 557
Author(s):  
Barry A. Goldstein

Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passion, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence (Adams 1770). Some people unfamiliar with upstream petroleum operations, some enterprises keen to sustain uncontested land use, and some people against the use of fossil fuels have and will voice opposition to land access for oil and gas exploration and production. Social and economic concerns have also arisen with Australian domestic gas prices tending towards parity with netbacks from liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports. No doubt, natural gas, LNG and crude-oil prices will vary with local-to-international supply-side and demand-side competition. Hence, well run Australian oil and gas producers deploy stress-tested exploration, delineation and development budgets. With these challenges in mind, successive governments in South Australia have implemented leading-practice legislation, regulation, policies and programs to simultaneously gain and sustain trust with the public and investors with regard to land access for trustworthy oil and gas operations. South Australia’s most recent initiatives to foster reserve growth through welcomed investment in responsible oil and gas operations include the following: a Roundtable for Oil and Gas; evergreen answers to frequently asked questions, grouped retention licences that accelerate investment in the best of play trends; the Plan for ACcelerating Exploration (PACE) Gas Program; and the Oil and Gas Royalty Return Program. Intended and actual outcomes from these initiatives are addressed in this extended abstract.


2020 ◽  
pp. 42-45
Author(s):  
J.A. Kerimov ◽  

The implementation of plastic details in various constructions enables to reduce the prime cost and labor intensity of machine and device manufacturing, decrease the weight of design and improve their quality and reliability at the same time. The studies were carried out with the aim of labor productivity increase and substitution of colored and black metals with plastic masses. For this purpose, the details with certain characteristics were selected for further implementation of developed technological process in oil-gas industry. The paper investigates the impact of cylinder and compression mold temperature on the quality parameters (shrinkage and hardness) of plastic details in oil-field equipment. The accessible boundaries of quality indicators of the details operated in the equipment of exploration, drilling and exploitation of oil and gas industry are studied in a wide range of mode parameters. The mathematic dependences between quality parameters (shrinkage and hardness) of the details on casting temperature are specified.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nouf AlJabri ◽  
Nan Shi

Abstract Nanoemulsions (NEs) are kinetically stable emulsions with droplet size on the order of 100 nm. Many unique properties of NEs, such as stability and rheology, have attracted considerable attention in the oil industry. Here, we review applications and studies of NEs for major upstream operations, highlighting useful properties of NEs, synthesis to render these properties, and techniques to characterize them. We identify specific challenges associated with large-scale applications of NEs and directions for future studies. We first summarize useful and unique properties of NEs, mostly arising from the small droplet size. Then, we compare different methods to prepare NEs based on the magnitude of input energy, i.e., low-energy and high-energy methods. In addition, we review techniques to characterize properties of NEs, such as droplet size, volume fraction of the dispersed phase, and viscosity. Furthermore, we discuss specific applications of NEs in four areas of upstream operations, i.e., enhanced oil recovery, drilling/completion, flow assurance, and stimulation. Finally, we identify challenges to economically tailor NEs with desired properties for large-scale upstream applications and propose possible solutions to some of these challenges. NEs are kinetically stable due to their small droplet size (submicron to 100 nm). Within this size range, the rate of major destabilizing mechanisms, such as coalescence, flocculation, and Ostwald ripening, is considerably slowed down. In addition, small droplet size yields large surface-to-volume ratio, optical transparency, high diffusivity, and controllable rheology. Similar to applications in other fields (food industry, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, etc.), the oil and gas industry can also benefit from these useful properties of NEs. Proposed functions of NEs include delivering chemicals, conditioning wellbore/reservoir conditions, and improve chemical compatibility. Therefore, we envision NEs as a versatile technology that can be applied in a variety of upstream operations. Upstream operations often target a wide range of physical and chemical conditions and are operated at different time scales. More importantly, these operations typically consume a large amount of materials. These facts not only suggest efforts to rationally engineer properties of NEs in upstream applications, but also manifest the importance to economically optimize such efforts for large-scale operations. We summarize studies and applications of NEs in upstream operations in the oil and gas industry. We review useful properties of NEs that benefit upstream applications as well as techniques to synthesize and characterize NEs. More importantly, we identify challenges and opportunities in engineering NEs for large-scale operations in different upstream applications. This work not only focuses on scientific aspects of synthesizing NEs with desired properties but also emphasizes engineering and economic consideration that is important in the oil industry.


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