Biogenic SiO2 Nanoparticle-based Nanofluid for Fines Migration Control

Fines migration in reservoirs has a major impact on the oil industry, causing damage to formations due to micrometric particle mobilization and a consequent reduction in well productivity, thus resulting in significant economic damage. An emerging alternative for solving this problem is the use of nanofluids to mitigate fines migration. Due to their physicochemical properties, the mesoporous nanoparticles present in nanofluids interact with fines in the well, diminishing their mobility without an important decrease in permeability. In this work, the effect of a nanofluid composed of biogenic SiO2 mesoporous nanoparticles on fines migration control was studied. A biogenic mesoporous nanosilica was synthesized from rice husks and dispersed in a fluid composed of a mixture of diesel and xylene. Laboratory core-flooding experiments with crude oil were performed. The compositions of the crude oil and the collected material were measured to determine the changes in the crude oil after it interacted with the nanofluid. Fines production was significantly reduced by the use of the nanofluid. The results showed that 0.4% SiO2 nanoparticle fluid decreased fines migration by up to 60% with a small variation in permeability. The results of the GPC-ICP-HRMS analysis of the crude oil after treatment showed that the nanoparticles adsorbed a fraction of the asphaltenes in the crude oil and served as nucleation centers for the agglomeration of fines, forming larger structures with high porosity and allowing the fines to be retained in the core with a low decrease in permeability.