Nanofluids based on ionic liquids for enhanced oil recovery

Abstract

During the ecological transition the full exploitation of, in principle, exhausted oil reservoirs is required to maintain current standards of living. The main objective of this thesis was the design of formulations containing surface-active ionic liquids and nanoparticles as the basis of an improved enhanced oil recovery (EOR) method. A state-of-the-art study regarding the use of nanoparticles as a method of EOR was carried out. This review provided the basis of the experimental work conducted. Two formulations were designed containing aluminum oxide nanoparticles and 1-dodecylpyridinium chloride or 1-dodecyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride, for carbonate reservoirs containing low and high salt concentration, respectively. Low chemicals adsorption and good oil recovery performance were achieved. The main conclusion of this thesis is that the cuttingedge EOR method proposed here must be further explored.