Surfactant Stabilized Nanoemulsion: Characterization and Application in Enhanced Oil Recovery
Nanoemulsions are a class of emulsions with a droplet
size in the range of 50–500 nm and have attracted a great deal of
attention in recent years because it is unique characteristics. The
physicochemical properties of nanoemulsion suggests that it can be
successfully used to recover the residual oil which is trapped in the
fine pore of reservoir rock by capillary forces after primary and
secondary recovery. Oil-in-water nanoemulsion which can be formed
by high-energy emulsification techniques using specific surfactants
can reduce oil-water interfacial tension (IFT) by 3-4 orders of
magnitude. The present work is aimed on characterization of oil-inwater
nanoemulsion in terms of its phase behavior, morphological
studies; interfacial energy; ability to reduce the interfacial tension and
understanding the mechanisms of mobilization and displacement of
entrapped oil blobs by lowering interfacial tension both at the
macroscopic and microscopic level. In order to investigate the
efficiency of oil-water nanoemulsion in enhanced oil recovery
(EOR), experiments were performed to characterize the emulsion in
terms of their physicochemical properties and size distribution of the
dispersed oil droplet in water phase. Synthetic mineral oil and a series
of surfactants were used to prepare oil-in-water emulsions.
Characterization of emulsion shows that it follows pseudo-plastic
behaviour and drop size of dispersed oil phase follows lognormal
distribution. Flooding experiments were also carried out in a
sandpack system to evaluate the effectiveness of the nanoemulsion as
displacing fluid for enhanced oil recovery. Substantial additional
recoveries (more than 25% of original oil in place) over conventional
water flooding were obtained in the present investigation.
[1] R. Krishnamoorti, Extracting the benefits of Nanotechnology for the Oil
Industry. Journal of Petroleum Technology, 58, 24-26. 2006.
[2] Md. Amanullah, A. M. Al-Tahini, Nano-TechnologyÔÇöIts Significance
in Smart Fluid Development for Oil and Gas Field Application, SPE
126102-MS, 2009.
[3] P. L. J. Zitha, Smart fluids in the oilfield, Exploration & Production: The
Oil & Gas Review, pp. 66-68, 2005.
[4] J. L. Salager, Pharmaceutical Emulsions and Suspensions: cap. 2,
Formation Concept for the Emulsion Maker, F. Nielloud, G. Marti-
Mestres (Eds), Dekker NY, 2000.
[5] K. Shinoda, B. Lindman, Organized surfactant systems: nanoemulsions,
Langmuir, 3, 135-149, 1987.
[6] S. E. Friberg, P. Bothorel, Nanoemulsion: Structures and Dynamics,
CRC Press, Boca Raton, 1987.
[7] K. Holmberg, Organic and bioorganic reactions in nanoemulsions, Adv.
Colloid Interface Sci., 51, 137-174, 1994.
[8] T. Tadros, P. Izquierdo, J. Esquena, C. Solans, Formation and Stability
of Nano-emulsions, Adv. Colloid. Interface Sci., 108-109, 303-318,
2004.
[9] D. Morales, J. M. Gutierrez, M.J. Garcia-Celma, Y.C. Solans, A Study
of the Relation between Bicontinuous Nanoemulsions and Oil/Water
Nano-emulsion Formation, Langmuir, 19, 7196-7200, 2003.
[10] A. Forgiarini J. Esquena, C. González, C. Solans, Formation of Nanoemulsions
by Low-Energy Emulsification Methods at Constant
Temperature, Langmuir 17, 2076-2083, 2001.
[11] N. Uson, M.J. Garcia, C. Solans, Formation of water-in-oil (W/O) nanoemulsions
in a water/mixed non-ionic surfactant/oil systems prepared by
a low-energy emulsification method, Colloids Surf. A 250, 415-421,
2004.
[12] E. Hoff, B. Nystrom, B. Lindman, Polymer-surfactant interactions in
dilute mixtures of a nonionic cellulose derivative and an anionic
surfactant, Langmuir 17, 28-34, 2001.
[13] Y. Wu, P.J. Shuler, M. Blanco, Y. Tang, W.A. Goddard III, An
experimental study of wetting behavior and surfactant EOR in
carbonates with model components, Paper SPE 99612, Presented at the
2006 SPE/DOE Symposium on improved Oil Recovery, Tulsa, 22-26
April, 2006.
[14] W. C. Griffin, Classification of surface active agents by HLB, Journal
of Society of Cosmetics and Chemistry, 1, 311-326, 1949.
[1] R. Krishnamoorti, Extracting the benefits of Nanotechnology for the Oil
Industry. Journal of Petroleum Technology, 58, 24-26. 2006.
[2] Md. Amanullah, A. M. Al-Tahini, Nano-TechnologyÔÇöIts Significance
in Smart Fluid Development for Oil and Gas Field Application, SPE
126102-MS, 2009.
[3] P. L. J. Zitha, Smart fluids in the oilfield, Exploration & Production: The
Oil & Gas Review, pp. 66-68, 2005.
[4] J. L. Salager, Pharmaceutical Emulsions and Suspensions: cap. 2,
Formation Concept for the Emulsion Maker, F. Nielloud, G. Marti-
Mestres (Eds), Dekker NY, 2000.
[5] K. Shinoda, B. Lindman, Organized surfactant systems: nanoemulsions,
Langmuir, 3, 135-149, 1987.
[6] S. E. Friberg, P. Bothorel, Nanoemulsion: Structures and Dynamics,
CRC Press, Boca Raton, 1987.
[7] K. Holmberg, Organic and bioorganic reactions in nanoemulsions, Adv.
Colloid Interface Sci., 51, 137-174, 1994.
[8] T. Tadros, P. Izquierdo, J. Esquena, C. Solans, Formation and Stability
of Nano-emulsions, Adv. Colloid. Interface Sci., 108-109, 303-318,
2004.
[9] D. Morales, J. M. Gutierrez, M.J. Garcia-Celma, Y.C. Solans, A Study
of the Relation between Bicontinuous Nanoemulsions and Oil/Water
Nano-emulsion Formation, Langmuir, 19, 7196-7200, 2003.
[10] A. Forgiarini J. Esquena, C. González, C. Solans, Formation of Nanoemulsions
by Low-Energy Emulsification Methods at Constant
Temperature, Langmuir 17, 2076-2083, 2001.
[11] N. Uson, M.J. Garcia, C. Solans, Formation of water-in-oil (W/O) nanoemulsions
in a water/mixed non-ionic surfactant/oil systems prepared by
a low-energy emulsification method, Colloids Surf. A 250, 415-421,
2004.
[12] E. Hoff, B. Nystrom, B. Lindman, Polymer-surfactant interactions in
dilute mixtures of a nonionic cellulose derivative and an anionic
surfactant, Langmuir 17, 28-34, 2001.
[13] Y. Wu, P.J. Shuler, M. Blanco, Y. Tang, W.A. Goddard III, An
experimental study of wetting behavior and surfactant EOR in
carbonates with model components, Paper SPE 99612, Presented at the
2006 SPE/DOE Symposium on improved Oil Recovery, Tulsa, 22-26
April, 2006.
[14] W. C. Griffin, Classification of surface active agents by HLB, Journal
of Society of Cosmetics and Chemistry, 1, 311-326, 1949.
@article{"International Journal of Chemical, Materials and Biomolecular Sciences:59095", author = "Ajay Mandal and Achinta Bera", title = "Surfactant Stabilized Nanoemulsion: Characterization and Application in Enhanced Oil Recovery", abstract = "Nanoemulsions are a class of emulsions with a droplet
size in the range of 50–500 nm and have attracted a great deal of
attention in recent years because it is unique characteristics. The
physicochemical properties of nanoemulsion suggests that it can be
successfully used to recover the residual oil which is trapped in the
fine pore of reservoir rock by capillary forces after primary and
secondary recovery. Oil-in-water nanoemulsion which can be formed
by high-energy emulsification techniques using specific surfactants
can reduce oil-water interfacial tension (IFT) by 3-4 orders of
magnitude. The present work is aimed on characterization of oil-inwater
nanoemulsion in terms of its phase behavior, morphological
studies; interfacial energy; ability to reduce the interfacial tension and
understanding the mechanisms of mobilization and displacement of
entrapped oil blobs by lowering interfacial tension both at the
macroscopic and microscopic level. In order to investigate the
efficiency of oil-water nanoemulsion in enhanced oil recovery
(EOR), experiments were performed to characterize the emulsion in
terms of their physicochemical properties and size distribution of the
dispersed oil droplet in water phase. Synthetic mineral oil and a series
of surfactants were used to prepare oil-in-water emulsions.
Characterization of emulsion shows that it follows pseudo-plastic
behaviour and drop size of dispersed oil phase follows lognormal
distribution. Flooding experiments were also carried out in a
sandpack system to evaluate the effectiveness of the nanoemulsion as
displacing fluid for enhanced oil recovery. Substantial additional
recoveries (more than 25% of original oil in place) over conventional
water flooding were obtained in the present investigation.", keywords = "Nanoemulsion, Characterization, Enhanced Oil
Recovery, Particle Size Distribution", volume = "6", number = "7", pages = "594-6", }