Impact of surface-modified silica and magnesium oxide nanoparticles on the flow behaviour of East Baghdad crude oil and emulsion

Abstract

The transportation of crude oil naturally, including emulsion from the wellhead to the processing facility, presents a challenge in the oil industry, particularly as wells age and the production of associated water increases. To improve the flowability of the emulsified oil, traditional methods for reducing the viscosity, such as dilution and heating, are costly and energy-intensive. However, nanotechnology offers a potential solution to improve flowability and crude oil behavior. This paper examines how adding 3% wt of surface-modified silicon dioxide (SiO2) and magnesium oxide (MgO) nanoparticles impacts the flow properties of an emulsion containing East Baghdad crude oil. The investigation is conducted across different water cut levels (5%, 35%, 50%, and 75% v/v) within a horizontal pipe 0.0145 m inner diameter and 13m in length. The effect of these nanoparticles on emulsion stability, rheology, viscosity, pressure drop, and energy consumption was studied. The rheology study found that the best results were achieved by adding surface-modified nano silica at 3%, which significantly reduced viscosity with shear thinning behavior. Adding 3% nano-silica obtained a highly stable emulsion and a higher reduction of 69% in power consumption for pumping the fluid. In comparison, a 25% increase in power consumption was achieved by adding the same concentration of MgO.

Keywords

• emulsion
• rheology
• pressure drop
• low api crude oil
• nanoparticles