Review
Energy & Fuels
Amin Sharifi, Rohaldin Miri, Masoud Riazi
Summary: The surfactant EOR is considered a promising approach for enhancing oil recovery due to the changing energy supply and demand and the non-renewable nature of world oil reservoirs. However, surfactants face challenges such as high adsorption, low stability, and poor performance in harsh conditions like high temperature, high salinity, and dense carbonate rocks. There is currently no established procedure or framework for systematically selecting the best surfactant for EOR in dense carbonates.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Lei Ding, Stephane Jouenne, Oussama Gharbi, Mayur Pal, Henri Bertin, Mohammad Azizur Rahman, Ioannis G. Economou, Carolina Romero, Dominique Guerillot
Summary: In this study, the feasibility of foam enhanced oil recovery (EOR) for a dual porosity and heterogeneous carbonate reservoir in the Middle East was investigated. The influence of various factors on foam strength and incremental oil recovery was systematically analyzed. The results provide insights into foam transport behavior in strongly oil-wet conditions.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Emil R. Saifullin, Polina O. Putintseva, Rustam N. Sagirov, Mikhail A. Varfolomeev, Chengdong Yuan, Roman S. Pavelyev, Sergey A. Nazarychev, Aleksei O. Malahov, Lucia Akimushkina, Dmitrii A. Zharkov, Alexey O. Bykov, Ulukbek Mirzakimov
Summary: This study successfully synthesized three novel anionic-nonionic surfactants based on the nonionic surfactant NPEO and evaluated their effectiveness for enhanced oil recovery in high salinity water. The modified surfactants showed significant reduction in interfacial tension and improved wettability of the rock, leading to increased oil production. Filtration experiments indicated the great potential of these novel surfactants for enhanced oil recovery in high salinity reservoirs.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Abbas Shahrabadi, Parham Babakhani Dehkordi, Fatemeh Razavirad, Reza Noorimotlagh, Masoud Nasiri Zarandi
Summary: The study found that low salinity water injection has a significant effect on releasing trapped oil, and smart water flooding achieves the maximum oil recovery. Low salinity water and smart water have a significant impact on relative permeability curves, indicating wettability alteration.
NATURAL RESOURCES RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Sivabalan Sakthivel
Summary: This study investigated the adsorptive behavior of imidazolium-based ionic liquids (ILs) on oil-wet carbonate reservoirs and evaluated their performance in oil recovery. The results showed that ILs improved oil flowability and increased oil recovery. In comparison to conventional surfactants, surfactants performed better in altering wettability and reducing interfacial tension.
JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR LIQUIDS
(2022)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Guillaume Lemahieu, Jesus F. Ontiveros, Nathaniel Terra Telles Souza, Valerie Molinier, Jean-Marie Aubry
Summary: A novel method called dynamic Salinity-Phase-Inversion (SPI) is proposed in this study to quickly and accurately determine the optimum formulation of surfactant mixtures and anticipate whether they will exhibit a three-phase behavior (WIII) or form viscous phases. By continuously modifying the salinity of the SOW system to detect the phase inversion of the emulsion, this method significantly accelerates the optimization process, allowing for the identification of the optimal salinity within 30 minutes.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Alolika Das, Matthew Monette, Ramez Nasralla, Siavash Kahrobaei, Dawood Mahruqi, Rouhi Farajzadeh, Quoc P. Nguyen
Summary: Laboratory scale experiments have shown that LTG flooding is a promising enhanced oil recovery (EOR) method for low permeability and high salinity carbonate reservoirs. The performance of LTG process is strongly influenced by wettability, injection gas type, and salinity variation. It was found that LTG flooding in aged cores resulted in similar oil recovery compared to non-aged cores.
PETROLEUM SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Polymer Science
Anas M. Hassan, Emad W. Al-Shalabi, Mohammed A. Ayoub
Summary: This study investigates the feasibility of improving polymer displacement technology in high temperature, high salinity oil carbonate resources using optimized polymers and hybrid methods. The selected novel polymers exhibit stability and tolerance, whereas adding alkali-surfactant can enhance mobility control and reduce interfacial tension, thus increasing displacement efficiency.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Xiongyu Chen, Mauricio Sotomayor, Hassan J. Alshaer, Haofeng Song, Krishna Panthi, Matthew Balhoff, Kishore K. Mohanty
Summary: This study discovers a surfactant blend that is stable in high salinity/hardness and high temperature conditions, which can be used for enhanced oil recovery. The blend exhibits low adsorption on carbonate and shows a negative correlation between oil saturation and porosity. These findings provide important insights for modeling EOR in rocks with mixed wettability and porosity heterogeneity.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Mohadeseh Ilkhani, Ali Esfandyari Bayat, Saeed Harati
Summary: This study experimentally determined and compared the influences of stabilized methane foams using different nanoparticles on enhanced oil recovery from a limestone porous medium at different temperatures, finding that SiO2 and ZnO NPs had the best stability at 0.01 wt%, and TiO2 and Al2O3 NPs at 0.05 wt%, with up to 10% incremental oil recovery compared to foams without NPs at 85 degrees C.
JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR LIQUIDS
(2022)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Svetlana Rudyk, Abdolreza Farhadian, Mikhail A. Varfolomeev, Yulia F. Zaripova, Sami Al-Khamisi, Pavel Spirov
Summary: The study evaluates a novel foaming polymer, waterborne polyurethane (WPUFA), for foam-assisted chemical flooding in enhanced oil recovery. The WPUFA shows promising potential as a foaming agent under high salinity conditions, exhibiting good solubility, stability, and foam production abilities.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Felix Koegler, Nicole Dopffel, Eva Mahler, Fabian S. F. Hartmann, Dirk Schulze-Makuch, Foppe Visser, Bernd Frommherz, Andrea Herold, Hakan Alkan
Summary: This study investigated the metabolic activity and community shift of a diverse microbiome in a high-salinity oilfield upon supplying MEOR nutrients. It was found that fermentative Halanaerobiales outcompeted other microbes and led to increased oil recovery through microbial-induced dissolution of surface minerals. The results suggest that accessory minerals and acid neutralization capacity could play important roles in fermentation-based MEOR performance.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Khaled Al-Azani, Sidqi Abu-Khamsin, Muhammad Shahzad Kamal, Shirish Patil, Xianmin Zhou, Syed Muhammad Shakil Hussain, Mohamed Mahmoud
Summary: Surfactants are commonly used in carbonate hydrocarbon reservoirs for enhanced oil recovery. This study focuses on injecting a single component surfactant to mitigate the risk of chromatographic and phase separation. The results show that the single component surfactant alone can achieve high oil recovery without the need for additional cosolvents or cosurfactants, and injecting a polymer can further improve the oil recovery.
Article
Engineering, Petroleum
Yaoze Cheng, Yin Zhang, Abhijit Dandekar, Jiawei Li
Summary: This study proposes three hybrid nonthermal enhanced oil recovery (EOR) techniques to recover viscous oils in shallow reservoirs on the Alaska North Slope. The coreflooding experiments and tests conducted demonstrate that these techniques have better performance in reducing residual oil saturation compared to traditional methods. The use of solvent injection results in oil swelling and viscosity reduction, while decreasing the salinity of injected brine benefits the water flooding process.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Rohit Kumar Saw, Ajay Mandal
Summary: The low salinity water flooding (LSWF) technique is cost-effective and environmentally friendly, but its mechanisms are not yet clear. Recovery in LSWF depends on fluid/fluid and rock/fluid interactions. This study investigated both interactions and found different optimal conditions for improved oil recovery. Rock/fluid interaction showed an incremental recovery of 14%, while fluid/fluid interaction showed an incremental recovery of 7% over simple seawater injection. Results highlight the importance of considering both interactions and wettability alteration in LSWF design.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Yingna Du, Chen Huang, Wei Jiang, Qiangwei Yan, Yongfei Li, Gang Chen
Summary: In this study, anionic surfactants modified hydrotalcite was used as a flow improver for crude oil under low-temperature conditions. The modified hydrotalcite showed a significant viscosity reduction effect on crude oil. The mechanism of the modified hydrotalcite on viscosity and pour point of crude oil was explored through characterization and analysis of the modified hydrotalcite and oil samples.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Mohammad Saeid Rostami, Mohammad Mehdi Khodaei
Summary: In this study, a hybrid structure, MIL-53(Al)@MWCNT, was synthesized by combining MIL-53(Al) particles and -COOH functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT). The hybrid structure was then embedded in a polyethersulfone (PES) polymer matrix to prepare a mixed matrix membrane (MMM) for CO2/CH4 and CO2/N2 separation. The addition of MWCNTs prevented MIL-53(Al) aggregation, improved membrane mechanical properties, and enhanced gas separation efficiency.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Yunlong Li, Desheng Huang, Xiaomeng Dong, Daoyong Yang
Summary: This study develops theoretical and experimental techniques to determine the phase behavior and physical properties of DME/flue gas/water/heavy oil systems. Eight constant composition expansion (CCE) tests are conducted to obtain new experimental data. A thermodynamic model is used to accurately predict saturation pressure and swelling factors, as well as the phase boundaries of N2/heavy oil systems and DME/CO2/heavy oil systems, with high accuracy.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Morteza Afkhamipour, Ebad Seifi, Arash Esmaeili, Mohammad Shamsi, Tohid N. Borhani
Summary: Non-conventional amines are being researched worldwide to overcome the limitations of traditional amines like MEA and MDEA. Adequate process and thermodynamic models are crucial for understanding the applicability and performance of these amines in CO2 absorption, but studies on process modeling for these amines are limited. This study used rate-based modeling and Deshmukh-Mather method to model CO2 absorption by DETA solution in a packed column, validated the model with experimental data, and conducted a sensitivity analysis of mass transfer correlations. The study also compared the CO2 absorption efficiency of DETA solution with an ionic solvent [bmim]-[PF6] and highlighted the importance of finding optimum operational parameters for maximum absorption efficiency.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Arastoo Abdi, Mohamad Awarke, M. Reza Malayeri, Masoud Riazi
Summary: The utilization of smart water in EOR operations has gained attention, but more research is needed to understand the complex mechanisms involved. This study investigated the interfacial tension between smart water and crude oil, considering factors such as salt, pH, asphaltene type, and aged smart water. The results revealed that the hydration of ions in smart water plays a key role in its efficacy, with acidic and basic asphaltene acting as intrinsic surfactants. The pH also influenced the interfacial tension, and the aged smart water's interaction with crude oil depended on asphaltene type, salt, and salinity.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Dongao Zhu, Kun Zhu, Lixian Xu, Haiyan Huang, Jing He, Wenshuai Zhu, Huaming Li, Wei Jiang
Summary: In this study, cobalt-based metal-organic frameworks (Co-based MOFs) were used as supports and co-catalysts to confine the NHPI catalyst, solving the leaching issue. The NHPI@Co-MOF with carboxyl groups exhibited stronger acidity and facilitated the generation of active oxygen radicals O2•, resulting in enhanced catalytic activity. This research provides valuable insights into the selection of suitable organic linkers and broadens the research horizon of MOF hybrids in efficient oxidative desulfurization (ODS) applications.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Edwin G. Hoyos, Gloria Amo-Duodu, U. Gulsum Kiral, Laura Vargas-Estrada, Raquel Lebrero, Rail Munoz
Summary: This study investigated the impact of carbon-coated zero-valent nanoparticle concentration on photosynthetic biogas upgrading. The addition of nanoparticles significantly increased microalgae productivity and enhanced nitrogen and phosphorus assimilation. The presence of nanoparticles also improved the quality of biomethane produced.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Yao Xiao, Asma Leghari, Linfeng Liu, Fangchao Yu, Ming Gao, Lu Ding, Yu Yang, Xueli Chen, Xiaoyu Yan, Fuchen Wang
Summary: Iron is added as a flocculant in wastewater treatment and the hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) of sludge produces wastewater containing Fe. This study investigates the effect of aqueous phase (AP) recycling on hydrochar properties, iron evolution and environmental assessment during HTC of sludge. The results show that AP recycling process improves the dewatering performance of hydrochar and facilitates the recovery of Fe from the liquid phase.
Article
Energy & Fuels
He Liang, Tao Wang, Zhenmin Luo, Jianliang Yu, Weizhai Yi, Fangming Cheng, Jingyu Zhao, Xingqing Yan, Jun Deng, Jihao Shi
Summary: This study investigated the influence of inhibitors (carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and heptafluoropropane) on the lower flammability limit of hydrogen and determined the critical inhibitory concentration needed for complete suppression. The impact of inhibitors on explosive characteristics was evaluated, and the inhibitory mechanism was analyzed with chemical kinetics. The results showed that with the increase of inhibitor quantity, the lower flammability limit of hydrogen also increased. The research findings can contribute to the safe utilization of hydrogen energy.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Zonghui Liu, Zhongze Zhang, Yali Zhou, Ziling Wang, Mingyang Du, Zhe Wen, Bing Yan, Qingxiang Ma, Na Liu, Bing Xue
Summary: In this study, high-performance solid catalysts based on phosphotungstic acid (HPW) supported on Zr-SBA-15 were synthesized and evaluated for the one-pot conversion of furfural (FUR) to γ-valerolactone (GVL). The catalysts were characterized using various techniques, and the ratio of HPW and Zr was found to significantly affect the selectivity of GVL. The HPW/Zr-SBA-15 (2-4-15) catalyst exhibited the highest GVL yield (83%) under optimized reaction conditions, and it was determined that a balance between Bronsted acid sites (BAS) and Lewis acid sites (LAS) was crucial for achieving higher catalytic performance. The reaction parameters and catalyst stability were also investigated.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Michael Stoehr, Stephan Ruoff, Bastian Rauch, Wolfgang Meier, Patrick Le Clercq
Summary: As part of the global energy transition, an experimental study was conducted to understand the effects of different fuel properties on droplet vaporization for various conventional and alternative fuels. The study utilized a flow channel to measure the evolution of droplet diameters over time and distance. The results revealed the temperature-dependent effects of physical properties, such as boiling point, liquid density, and enthalpy of vaporization, and showed the complex interactions of preferential vaporization and temperature-dependent influences of physical properties for multi-component fuels.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Yuan Zhuang, Ruikang Wu, Xinyan Wang, Rui Zhai, Changyong Gao
Summary: Through experimental validation and optimization of the chemical kinetic model, it was found that methanol can accelerate the oxidation reaction of ammonia, and methanol can be rapidly oxidized at high concentration. HO2 was found to generate a significant amount of OH radicals, facilitating the oxidation of methanol and ammonia. Rating: 7.5/10.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Radwan M. EL-Zohairy, Ahmed S. Attia, A. S. Huzayyin, Ahmed I. EL-Seesy
Summary: This paper presents a lab-scale experimental study on the impact of diethyl ether (DEE) as an additive to waste cooking oil biodiesel with Jet A-1 on combustion and emission features of a swirl-stabilized premixed flame. The addition of DEE to biodiesel significantly affects the flame temperature distribution and emissions. The W20D20 blend of DEE, biodiesel, and Jet A-1 shows similar flame temperature distribution to Jet A-1 and significantly reduces UHC, CO, and NOx emissions compared to Jet A-1.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Jiang Bian, Ziyuan Zhao, Yang Liu, Ran Cheng, Xuerui Zang, Xuewen Cao
Summary: This study presents a novel method for ammonia separation using supersonic flow and develops a mathematical model to investigate the condensation phenomenon. The results demonstrate that the L-P nucleation model accurately characterizes the nucleation process of ammonia at low temperatures. Numerical simulations also show that increasing pressure and concentration can enhance ammonia condensation efficiency.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Shiyuan Pan, Xiaodan Shi, Beibei Dong, Jan Skvaril, Haoran Zhang, Yongtu Liang, Hailong Li
Summary: Integrating CO2 capture with biomass-fired combined heat and power (bio-CHP) plants is a promising method for achieving negative emissions. This study develops a reliable data-driven model based on the Transformer architecture to predict the flowrate and CO2 concentration of flue gas in real time. The model validation shows high prediction accuracy, and the potential impact of meteorological parameters on model accuracy is assessed. The results demonstrate that the Transformer model outperforms other models and using near-infrared spectral data as input features improves the prediction accuracy.