Numerical Study on Effects of Nanoparticles Concentration and Steam Flow Rate on Oil Recovery from a Model Porous Medium

Abstract

Effects of nanoparticle and steam injection on the extraction of Iranian American Petroleum Institute (API) 14 heavy oil from a model porous medium at temperatures of 110, 150, and 200 °C were investigated. Nanoparticle content was 1 %, 3 %, and 5 %, and injection flow rates were 0.018, 0.036 and 0.072 mL h⁻¹. In short-term injection, increasing the injection temperature to 200 °C and the flow rate to 0.072 mL h⁻¹ resulted in the highest recovery. In the mid-term injection, the highest recovery factor was at a temperature of 150 °C and flow rate of 0.036 mL h⁻¹, while the results of the long-term injection predicted a non-monotonic effect of flow rate. The effect of alumina content on the recovery factor is less than that of temperature and flow rate. Interestingly, alumina content also has non-monotonic effects on the recovery factor.