Group U2:
Kyle Demel
Keaton Hamm
Bryan Holekamp
Rachel Houk
http://www.terralog.com/images/Oildiagr.jpg

Introduction
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Research Article
◦
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◦
◦
Background
Experiment
Applications
Summary

Further Applications

Additional Research
http://hotfile.files.wordpress.com/2008/08/oil-rig2.jpg

Gas injection

Ultrasonic stimulation

Waterflooding/Water injection
http://media-2.web.britannica.com/eb-media/06/27006-004-75D5A65C.gif
• Ability of liquid to maintain
contact with a surface
• Adhesive forces determine
contact angle
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Contact_angle_schematic.png
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Water_droplet_
in_oil_on_brass_surface.JPG
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Water_droplet_i
n_oil_on_glass_surface.JPG

“Experimental study and mathematical model of
nanoparticle transport in porous media”
◦ Binshan Ju, Tailiang Fan
-The following information and graphics are from the listed article unless cited
otherwise.
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
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Studied two-phase fluid flow through
sandstone (which has low
permeability)
Experimented with wetting using
polysilicon nanoparticles to achieve
better flow through oil reservoirs for
enhanced recovery
https://s3.amazonaws.com/inventables_technology_pr
oduction/technology_images/4350/1972_big_web.jpg
Developed mathematical model for
flow through random porous media
http://www.teachnet-lab.org/ps101/bglasgold/rocks/utah_sandstone.jpg
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Two classes by
wettability
LHPN-lipophobic
hydrophilic polysilicon
nanoparticles
HLPN-hydrophobic
lipophilic polysilicon
nanoparticles

Particle size from 10 to
500 nm

Mean size ~ 70 nm

Roughly spherical


Pore throat size from
0.5 to 5,000 nm
Pore chambers from
5,000 to 63,000 nm
HLPN
Pore throat

Large PN can block
pore throats

Smaller PN can bridge
to block pore throats

PN can also adsorb to
pore walls

Pore Wall
Wettability of porous
material can be altered
by adsorption of PN

(A) Wetting angle much larger than π/2

(B) Wetting angle much smaller than π/2


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Sandstone cores are taken
from drilling wells in
H.Z.J. oil field in China
Effective permeability is
measured before and after
treatment with HLPN
Effective permeabilities
increase 1.6 to 2.1 times
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Mass balance is solved for
pressure differential
Velocity is determined by
Darcy’s law
PN concentration
distribution is obtained
from the convectiondiffusion-adsorption
equation
Calculate new values for
porosity, absolute
permeability, and relative
permeability and iterate
Application: Water Injection

Using hydrophobic lipophilic polysilicon nanoparticles
(HLPN) made the surfaces oil-wet

Tested on sandstone

Used as a method to maintain reservoir pressure

Constraints on high and low flow rates
◦ Must be economical
◦ Cannot damage reservoir
https://www.llnl.gov/str/November01/gifs/Kirk1.jpg
Application: Water Injection

The porosity and permeability decline as injection
volume increase due to particle adsorption onto pore
walls
http://www.nist.gov/msel/polymers/complex_fluids/image
s/Chastek-Hudson-L-patchy-Fig2d-300c_1.jpg

Water injection capacity increases from 0-1.8 PV and
then starts to decrease, indicating a possible
saturation of the core with particles
Application: Water Injection
Optimum at 1.8 PV
Application: Enhanced Oil Recovery


Used lipophobic hydrophilic polysilicon
nanoparticles to make the reservoir water-wet
Goal to recover more oil by using water to “push”
the oil out
http://liteoilinvestments.com/fundamentals.html
Application: Enhanced Oil Recovery
The relations between oil recovery and injecting volume of LHPN.
Comparison of Experiment and Model
The comparison of permeability ratios between experimental and
numerical results.
Summary of Article
• Analysis of method to enhance oil recovery
– studied two-phase fluid flow
– experimented with wetting
• Nanoparticles of 10 to 500 nm
• Pore radii of sandstone was 6 to 63,000 nm
– from mercury injection tests
• Wettability of surface sandstone changes by adsorbing
nanoparticles
– LHPN
– HLPN
http://www.rgs.uky.edu/odyssey/images/sandstone.jpg
Summary of Article
• Nanoparticles can be adsorbed on pore surfaces and
reduce the pore radii
– changes wettability of surface
• Sandstone’s effective permeability of water increases
from 1.6 to 2.1 times original value
• The mathematical model, numerical results, and
experimental data match each other
• HLPN can enhance water injection capacity
• LHPN can improve oil recovery
Applications of Nanoparticle Transport
• Water injection
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/b7/Xerox_914.jpg
• Oil recovery
• Aerosol instruments
• Microelectronics
http://upload.wikimedia.org/w
ikipedia/en/b/b7/Xerox_914.j
pg
• Xerography
• Pharmaceuticals
• Atmospheric dispersion
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi
a/en/b/b7/Xerox_914.jpg
http://www.scielo.org.ar/img/revistas/laar/v36n4/4a20g49.gif
Additional Research Needed
• Address assumptions
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–
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one-dimensional flow under isothermal conditions
negligible force of gravity
constant viscosity and density of fluids
all fluids behave as Newtonian fluids
• Wettability effects in other materials
• Improvements to nanoparticles
http://www.loupiote.com/burningma
n/photos/1363757046.shtml
http://www.apexapex.com/english/images/norsar/js10b.gif
More Reservoir Nanotechnology
• Improve oil and gas production
• Produce lighter and stronger equipment
• Reduce pollution of processing
• Increase types of smart fluids
–
–
–
–
advanced drag reduction
wettability alteration
anticorrosive coatings
magnetic properties
http://webdocs.cs.ualberta.ca/~database/MEMS/sma_mems/img/goop.gif
• Introduce new sensors
– temperature and pressure ratings
– fluid-flow monitoring and recognition
http://c0378172.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspacecloud.com/lab_on_a_chip.jpg
Reservoir Nanotechnology Future
• Short-term:
– Enhance gas-to-liquids technology
– Improve LNG quality and recovery
• Mid-term
– Develop superpipelines
– Transport compressed natural gas
• Long-term
http://legalplanet.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/lng-tanker.jpg
– Process methane hydrates
– Integrate electric plants and processing plants
http://rhapsodyinbooks.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/meth1.jpg
Questions?
Rebuttal Group from U2
Rebuttal from Group U2:
Group U2:
-Kyle Demel
-Keaton Hamm
-Bryan Holekamp
-Rachael Houk
http://www.ite.tu-clausthal.de/fileadmin/user_upload/Bilder_ITE/Lagerst_tte.jpg
•
We agree that:
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•
The article was appropriate (A+)
The introduction was good
Slides contained adequate information
The pictures complemented the topic
Adequate eye contact was given
http://inmedialog.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/aplus.gif
Improvements for us to work on:
– Focus less on detailed equations
– Do a better job clarifying the logic
and purpose of the nanotechnology
– Make graphics bigger
– Have less text in some slides
•
Improvements for critiques:
http://media.photobucket.com/image/wr
ong%20equations/tsukmeibols/humorpenguin-logic.jpg
– Include better/more pictures
– Do not just repeat what we said;
explain how we can improve;
– Find motivation to actually critique
http://news.softpedia.com/images/news2/How-Dangerous-Are-Nanoparticles-2.jpg
RESERVOIR ENGINEERING
Review by Group U1- Kamal, John, Robert, Rodrigo to U2
The group did a fine job picking an appropriate article on the
subject, but there was a lot of confusion at first as to what the
technology actually did. They seemed to have a hard time
explaining that to us.
The introduction to the topic was good, and they provided a lot of
information about why there is a need for better recovery
processes.
They had some good pictures that helped accentuate the topic
and then there were some pictures that were really generic.
After the Q&A session we had a better idea of how the technology
works, and the group did a good job overall.
Group 3:
Krista Melish
Phillip Keller
James Kancewick
Mike Jones
PRESENTATION REVIEW

Good presentation format


Moderate amount of eye contact


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Some cases having the font size too small
Low to moderate use of “filler
phrases”

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One of the presenters looked mostly at the
slides during presentation
Adequate use of figures
Inconsistency in font sizing


Introduction, article, applications, further
research
Such as “like” and “uhhhh”
Overall Grade: 90
MATERIAL REVIEW
Article relevant to the application
of nanotechnology in reservoir
engineering
 Use of hydrophobic lipophilic
polysilicon nanoparticles (HLPN)
made the surfaces oil-wet
 Goal to recover more oil by using
water to “push” the oil out
 Questions for further research:


What are the disposal methods for
hydrophobic lipophilic polysilicon
nanoparticles ?
 What are the effects of HLPN on
materials other than sandstone?
REVIEW GROUP U4
NANOTECHNOLOGY IN
RESERVOIR ENGINEERING
Reviewer: Group U4
MAIN POINTS
Nanoparticles can be
used to enhance the
percentage of oil
recovered from the
ground.
 This is done by
changing the
wettability of the oil
reservoir , making it
easier for water
injection techniques to
be used.

THE PRESENTATION


Effective use of images
to describe concepts.
Slides contained the
information necessary
to understand the
topic.
Nanotechnology in reservoir
engineering
 Review of Team U2 by
Team U5 – Jaynesh
Shah, Greg Pudewell,
Edwin L. Youmsi Pete
and John Pack.
Oral and Quality of Slides
Review
 The speakers did a good job

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

of speaking without many
pauses or filler words
They were knowledgeable
on the subject, showing they
did a lot of research
The slides had a consistent
theme
Try n0t reading off the slides
as much
At times, a bit wordy
Technical Review
 The presentation was a
bit confusing
technically
 Good use of technical
jargon
 Paper selection was
relevant and recent
 There were a lot of
equations
 Highlight the important
ones
Reviewed by Group U6 - Pavitra
Timbalia, Michael Trevathan, Jared
Walker
Of the lecture presented by Group U2 - Kyle
Demel, Keaton Hamm, Bryan Holekamp, Rachel
Houk
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Great use of illustrations; they had them on
almost every slide.
They all dressed nicely and were
knowledgeable about their topic. They also
maintained eye contact with the audience.
There were too many equations presented
for us to understand the most relevant ones.
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The technology presented was using
nanoparticles which were either hydrophobic or
lycophobic to increase production of oil in a
reservoir. The particular particle used would
depend on a specific situation.
Further research is needed to determine
the effects of the nanoparticles on the
casing and tubing.
Applications could include using this technology
in other formations besides sandstone.