American Oil and Gas Reporter - July 2023 - 36
Industry Perspectives:
Oil Field Chemistry And Nanofluids
By Amr Radwan
BERWYN, PA.-The paraffin content
in produced U.S. crude oil can
range from as low as 1% in South
Louisiana to as high as 50% in the
Altamont Field in Utah. Although
paraffin-related production challenges
are common and experienced by a
majority of operators, there historically
has not been a lot of innovation focused
on effectively solving problems
associated with paraffin deposition
in producing wells, facilities and gathering
systems.
The most common methods of removing
paraffins in wells are wax cutting,
pigging, hot oiling, solvent dissolution
and inhibitor treatments. These
methods require long production downtimes,
frequent treatments and significant
capital investment. However, advancements
in nanotechnology-based solutions
promise to revolutionize paraffin treatment
and improve oil recovery.
Nanoparticles are solids sized between
1 and 100 nanometers (nm) that
are dispersed in a liquid. Several characteristics
of the nanofluid are influential
in oil field applications-including size,
type, charge, pH and stabilizing chemistry-but
treatment effectiveness imFIGURE
1
Williston Basin Production Results
300
250
200
150
100
50
-25
-20
-15 -10
-5
proves when the nanofluid can be tailored
to specific crude oil chemistries
and rock mineralogy.
A new tailored, nontoxic and nonhazardous,
water-based nanofluid is
demonstrating success in multiple U.S.
basins at effectively remediating paraffin
deposits by removing organic damage
in well tubulars and altering near-wellbore
wettability. This paper describes
some of the production results of implementing
a tailored nanofluid solution
in 24 wells in seven U.S. basins to remediate
paraffin/asphaltene issues and
modify wettability.
The technology is a dispersion that
contains one or multiple types of metal-oxide
nanoparticles with stabilizing
chemistry. The fluid is tailored and engineered
to be effective against different
crude oil types. The size of the nanoparticles
can be as small as three nm, providing
the maximum surface area for
interacting with organic deposits and
rock materials. The fluid is delivered
to well sites in tankers or totes to simplify
the entire application process.
The nanofluid disperses organic deposits
through a mechanism called
structural disjoining pressure or " uplift
pressure. " The nanoparticles form a
wedge beneath the deposits and allow
them to disconnect from the surface.
The shear forces of the producing
fluids are used to remove the deposits
from the system. This mechanism is
unique to nanoparticles and does not
translate to conventional chemicalbased
solutions.
Near-wellbore wettability alteration
can be demonstrated through spontaneous
imbibition of the nanofluid into
an oil-saturated rock. A low capillary
pressure is required for successful imbibition
of the nanofluid and the shape
of the extruded oil can describe the
wetting nature of the rock pre/post fluid
treatment. A low contact angle (more
spherical drop shape) represents a water-wet
state while a moderate contact
angle (flat drop shape) represents moderate-wet
state. The nanoparticles contained
in the dispersing fluid can be
adsorbed on the rock's surface and provide
a longer-term wettability alteration
effect compared with surfactants (which
can be desorbed).
Field Case Studies
79% Increase
The technology was applied to 24
wells that were experiencing consistent
productivity declines. Operators assigned
the decline to paraffin deposition
or asphaltene damage in well tubulars
and the near-wellbore regions. As opposed
to expensive and recurring conventional
treatments such as hot oiling
and solvents, the operators of these
wells sought a water-based solution to
remove blockages in tubulars and alter
rock wettability to a more water-wet
state. Nanofluid treatments were an
excellent candidate for these wells because
of their environmentally friendly
nature, ease of treatment characteristics
and low cost.
The nanofluid was bullheaded with
5
10
Month (relative to treatment month)
36 THE AMERICAN OIL & GAS REPORTER
15
20
25
water at a predefined concentration and
allowed to soak for one or two days.
The volumes of the nanofluid pumped
ranged from 700 to 1,500 gallons per
Daily Oil Production (bbl)
American Oil and Gas Reporter - July 2023
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of American Oil and Gas Reporter - July 2023
Contents
American Oil and Gas Reporter - July 2023 - Intro
American Oil and Gas Reporter - July 2023 - Cover1
American Oil and Gas Reporter - July 2023 - Cover2
American Oil and Gas Reporter - July 2023 - Contents
American Oil and Gas Reporter - July 2023 - 4
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American Oil and Gas Reporter - July 2023 - Cover3
American Oil and Gas Reporter - July 2023 - Cover4
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