Effect of aluminum oxide nanoparticles on the rheology and stability of a biopolymer for enhanced oil recovery
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Uncommon and untested biopolymers in field pilot studies, but applied in laboratory studies are combined with
Al2O3 nanoparticles to formnanocomposites for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) performance evaluation. Core plug
samples of the Niger Delta region and Berea sandstone were used as the porous media for EOR experiments. Incremental
oil recovery sequel to waterflooding (secondary recovery) was 5–12% and 5–7% for potato starch
nanocomposite (PSPNP) and gum Arabic nanocomposite (GCNP) respectively. The biopolymer nanocomposites
showed improved viscosity over the biopolymers. Thus, the nanoparticle served as a viscosity modifier on onehand
and stability enhancer on the other. EOR was affected by biopolymer and nanoparticle concentration
with the attendant catch-22 situation of permeability impairment. The overall higher incremental recovery of applying
PSPNP came by an intermediate potato starch (PSP) flooding between waterflooding and PSNP flooding.
Consequently, slugs of biopolymer and biopolymer nanocomposite may be the way forward knowing that the
biopolymers studied have surface-active constituents
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TP Chemical technology