Study on the Dual Enhancement Effect of Nanoparticle–Surfactant Composite Systems on Oil Recovery Rates

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Authors: Gen Li, Bin Huang, Yong Yuan, Cheng Fu, K L Wang
Cited by: 3
References: 21

Abstract

nanoparticles to nonionic surfactant alkylphenol polyoxyethylene ether (OP-10) in the composite system is 3:2, the oil-water interfacial tension (IFT) decreases to 0.005 mN/m, and the contact angle changes from the original 128° to 42°, achieving effective wettability alteration. Core displacement experiments demonstrate that the recovery rate using nanoparticles alone is 46.8%, and using surfactant alone is 52.3%, while the composite system achieves 71.5%, representing a 39.2 percentage point improvement over water flooding. The composite system operates through multiple mechanisms including interfacial tension reduction, wettability alteration, stable emulsion formation, and enhanced sweep efficiency. The wedging effect of nanoparticles at pore throats and the interfacial activity of surfactants form significant synergistic enhancement, providing a new technical pathway for efficient development of low-permeability reservoirs.

Fields of Study & Subjects

Enhanced Oil Recovery Techniques Pickering emulsions and particle stabilization Petroleum Processing and Analysis

Publication details

Journal / source
Nanomaterials
Publisher
MDPI AG
Volume
16
Issue
2
Pages
102–102
Publication date
12 January 2026
Language
EN