Efficacy of functionalized MWCNT-based polymeric nanofluids for enhancing oil recovery in reservoirs

Polymer-based enhanced oil recovery boosts production in depleted oil fields. However, harsh reservoir conditions, such as high salinity and temperature, often reduce its effectiveness. This study explores the use of a new aqueous polymeric nanofluid to overcome these challenges. The polymer we evaluated was partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (HPAM) with 40% hydrolysis and a molecular weight of 10 MD. The objective of this investigation was to enhance the efficacy of HPAM by incorporating multiwalled carbon nanotubes functionalized with COOH (MWCNT-COOH). Various tests were conducted to evaluate the polymeric nanofluid, including Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy for bonding detection, viscoelastic behavior analysis under static and dynamic shear rates, interfacial tension measurements using the spinning drop technique, and wettability alteration studies through contact angle measurements. The efficiency of the new nanofluid in enabling oil recovery was compared to that of conventional polymers through core flooding experiments. The optimized polymeric nanoparticle injection resulted in a 10% increase in recuperation. This suggests that polymeric nanofluids may be a plausible solution for enhancing oil recovery—a solution that could boost oil production in reservoirs.