Mathematical Modeling and Simulation of Nanoparticle-Assisted Enhanced Oil Recovery—A Review

Abstract

In the last two decades, nanotechnology has flourished due to its vast number of applications in many fields such as drug delivery, oil and gas, and thermal applications, like cooling and air-conditioning. This study focuses on the applications of nanoparticles/nanofluids in the Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) process to increase oil recovery efficiency. To understand the nanoparticle-assisted EOR process, the first step is to understand the flow characteristics of nanoparticles in porous media, including entrapment and release in the pores and the behavior of nanoparticles under high temperatures, pressures, and salinity levels and in the presence of external electric and magnetic fields. Also, the process looks at the roles of various pore distributions during their application as EOR agents. The experimental approaches are not only time consuming, but they are also cumbersome and expensive. Hence, the mathematical models could help to facilitate the understanding of the transport and interaction of nanofluids in a reservoir and how such processes can be optimized to get maximum oil recovery and, in turn, reduce the production cost. This paper reviews and critically analyzes the latest developments in mathematical modeling and simulation techniques that have been reported for nanofluid-assisted EOR. One section is dedicated to discussing the challenges ahead, as well as the research gaps in the modeling approach to help the readers to also contribute to further enlightening the modeling nanofluid-assisted EOR process.

Keywords

• enhanced oil recovery
• nanomaterials
• mathematical modeling
• simulations
• porous media