Title: Effect of transverse forces on velocity of nanoparticles through a single fracture in a fractured petroleum reservoir

Authors: Rockey Abhishek; Nikhil Bagalkot; G. Suresh Kumar

Addresses: Department of Ocean Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology – Madras, Chennai – 600036, India ' Department of Ocean Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology – Madras, Chennai – 600036, India ' Department of Ocean Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology – Madras, Chennai – 600036, India

Abstract: The present experimental and numerical study aims to study the effect of transverse forces on the velocity of nanoparticles through a single fracture. The velocity of nanoparticles is computed with the effect of van der Waals and gravity force through a single fracture based on the parallel plate model for a fixed half fracture aperture and temperature, a selected nanofluid (type of nanoparticles and dispersing medium) over a range of particles sizes. Particle size limit is identified as the particle size beyond which the nanoparticles have negligible velocity through the fracture. Effect of half fracture aperture and temperature on particle size limit is studied. Finally, the numerical model is applied to experimental data obtained for a range of silane coated silica and alumina nanofluids prepared in distilled water and formation water of an Indian carbonate reservoir to screen the nanofluids for flooding applications. [Received: July 31, 2014; Accepted: March 2, 2015]

Keywords: nanofluids; carbonate reservoirs; van der Waals force; gravity force; EOR; enhanced oil recovery; silica nanoparticles; alumina nanoparticles; fracture matrix; transverse forces; fractured reservoirs; petroleum reservoirs; nanotechnology; nanoparticle velocity; particle size; half fracture aperture; temperature; India; numerical modelling; flooding applications.

DOI: 10.1504/IJOGCT.2016.077298

International Journal of Oil, Gas and Coal Technology, 2016 Vol.12 No.4, pp.379 - 395

Received: 04 Aug 2014
Accepted: 02 Mar 2015

Published online: 28 Jun 2016 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article