Grant: Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Canada has tremendous unconventional oil resources, while the conventional oil reserves are being depleted worldwide. For example, the Bakken formation in Western Canada and the adjacent US states has approximately 271-503 billion barrels of light oil-in-place. The oil recovery factors of the primary production in such a tight formation are as low as 1-3%. On the other hand, the Canadian heavy oil reserves are estimated to be 55 billion barrels. A typical cold heavy oil production with sand (CHOPS) can recover 5-15% and thus 85-95% heavy oil is left in the Canadian post-CHOPS reservoirs to be recovered. In many cases, the traditional enhanced oil recovery (EOR) processes cannot effectively and economically exploit these unconventional oil reservoirs. In the past decade, some limited cross-disciplinary studies have indicated that nanotechnology may hold great promise for EOR purposes. In particular, nanoparticles (NPs) with sizes of 1-100 nm show some remarkable characteristics as new EOR agents, in comparison with water, solvents, chemicals and steam that are commonly used in the traditional EOR processes. Thus NP-assisted EOR, which is abbreviated as Nano-EOR, may offer an effective and novel EOR technology to exploit the unconventional oil reservoirs. At present, Nano-EOR is in its infancy. It is still unknown whether Nano-EOR technology can be successfully applied in the oilfields. The primary objective of the proposed NSERC DG research program is to deliver much-needed innovative and fundamental studies of novel Nano-EOR technology for the unconventional oil reservoirs. Some existing or new experimental methods, analytical techniques, mathematical models and numerical simulations will be applied to pursue the following three major research objectives. First, some stable and suitable nanofluids (NFs) will be studied and developed for Nano-EOR. Second, NP retention in a porous medium will be measured and modeled. Third, several promising water- and/or CO2-based Nano-EOR processes will be experimentally tested and numerically simulated to identify the best respective Nano-EOR processes in the Bakken formation and Canadian post-CHOPS reservoirs. This new DG research program will generate new knowledge by studying the EOR mechanisms and complex interactions among NPs, reservoir fluids and formations in the novel Nano-EOR processes. It will provide timely, direct and strong technical support for future Nano-EOR projects. The Canadian petroleum industry will benefit considerably by conducting some efficient Nano-EOR projects and recovering the remaining light and heavy oils from several vast oil-rich formations. Furthermore, Nano-EOR will also help to reduce water and solvent usages in the light oil production and greenhouse gas emissions in the heavy oil production. In the long run, Canada will continue to develop novel and advanced EOR technologies and Canadians will also continue to conserve abundant fresh water and clean air.