University of Wyoming

Lamia Goual

Mohammad Piri

Soheil Saraji

Vahideh Mirchi

Morteza Akbarabadi

Bingjun Zhang

Tianzhu Qin

Gina Javanbakht

Kaustubh Shriram Rane

In one embodiment, a method for recovery of an oil from a porous medium comprises contacting the porous medium with an aqueous nanofluid, solubilizing oil from the porous medium via the nanoparticles to form a dispersion comprising the oil and the aqueous nanofluid, and collecting at least some of the dispersion. The aqueous nanofluid may contain a combination of amphiphilic quantum dots and hydrophilic quantum dots, in a continuous phase. At least 90% of the quantum dot nanoparticles may have an aspect ratio of from 1:1 to 1:6. In another embodiment, a method for recovery of an oil from a porous medium includes adding quantum dots to foaming surfactants to enhance foam lamella stability under reservoir conditions and provide conformance and mobility control in porous media and hydraulic fractures.

Quantum dot nanofluids

Novel microemulsion formulations comprising a surfactant or combination of surfactants are disclosed for improved crude oil cleanup or recovery from subsurface geological formations, especially those containing carbonate cements.

Microemulsions and uses thereof to displace oil in heterogeneous porous media

Methods for evaluating an optimal surfactant structure for oil recovery by systematically evaluating surfactants' phase behavior, cloud point, dynamic interfacial tension, dynamic contact angle, and spontaneous and forced imbibition. In one embodiment, a method for determining an optimal surfactant structure for oil recovery includes the steps of evaluating a surfactant's phase behavior, evaluating the surfactant's solubility, evaluating the surfactant's dynamic interfacial tension in a porous rock sample, evaluating the surfactant's static and dynamic contact angles in the porous rock sample, evaluating the surfactant's spontaneous imbibition in the porous rock sample, and evaluating the surfactant's forced imbibition in the porous rock sample. In one example, the surfactant comprises a polyoxyethylenated (POE) straight-chain alcohol.

Methods for determining an optimal surfactant structure for oil recovery

Methods for determining an optimal surfactant structure for oil recovery are described. These methods systematically evaluate surfactants' phase behavior at ambient and at reservoir conditions; cloud point from ambient to reservoir conditions; dynamic interfacial tension at ambient and at reservoir conditions, including crude oil bubble images and fitting drop profiles; static contact angles at ambient conditions and dynamic contact angles at reservoir conditions; spontaneous imbibition at ambient conditions; and forced imbibition at reservoir conditions.

Growing community of inventors

Laramie, WY, United States of America

Lamia Goual