Recent advancements in novel nanoparticles as foam stabilizer: Prospects in EOR and CO₂ sequestration

Foams are used as an enhanced oil recovery (EOR) method to reduce the mobility of injected gaseous phases. However, foam stability is often compromised under harsh reservoir conditions, leading to drainage of the aqueous phase and gas diffusion. Incorporating nanoparticles, particularly SiO₂, has been found to enhance foam stability due to their surface chemistry and natural abundance. To create stable nanofluids at high temperatures and low concentrations, nanoparticles need to have their surfaces altered, allowing particles and molecules to interact and keep the nanoparticle-stabilized foam in the reservoir for extended periods. This review paper highlights the use of novel nanoparticles for stabilizing foams for EOR and CO₂ sequestration. It also discusses the modification of nanoparticles to improve foam stability in porous media, focusing on the impact of surface groups and hydrophobicity. Additionally, it covers how to alter nanoparticle surfaces by adding different functional groups or long-chain molecules to stabilize nanofluids in various conditions. The review also delves into how charge interactions and the hydrophilic or partially hydrophobic nature of nanoparticles affect foam stability. Overall, incorporating novel nanoparticles with surfactants has the potential to optimize oil recovery and CO₂ sequestration by improving foam stability. This perspective article explores the potential of using newly modified nanoparticles to stabilize foams and provides a comprehensive review of recent advancements in utilizing modified nanoparticles for foam stabilization, with a focus on surface-modified novel nanoparticles and their influence on stabilizing foams.

Other Information

Published in: Journal of Molecular Liquids
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
See article on publisher's website: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.molliq.2024.125209