Publications

Recently, much attention has been directed towards the applications of nanofluids for enhanced oil recovery (EOR). Here, amphiphilic molybdenum disulfide (KH550-MoS2) nanosheets were synthesized using a hydrothermal approach. The physicochemical properties and potential EOR of ultra-low concentration KH550-MoS2 nanofluids were systematically investigated under reservoir conditions at Changqing Oilfield (China) (temperature~55℃ and salinity~7.8×104 mg/L). Interfacial tension (IFT), wettability change, and emulsion stability were measured to evaluate the physicochemical properties of the KH550-MoS2 nanofluids. The results showed that ultra-low concentration of KH550-MoS2 nanofluid (50 mg/L) could decrease IFT to 2.6 mN/m, change the contact angle (CTA) from 131.2° to 51.7° and significantly enhance emulsion stability. Core flooding experiments were conducted to determine the dynamic adsorption loss law and the oil displacement efficiency of KH550-MoS2 nanofluid. The results indicated that the ratio of cumulative produced KH550-MoS2 nanosheets to the total injected KH550-MoS2 nanosheets (CNR) reached 91.5% during flooding in low permeability reservoirs. Moreover, ultra-low concentration KH550-MoS2 nanofluid can increase the oil displacement efficiency by 14% after water driven. This study shows the physicochemical properties of the KH550-MoS2 amphiphilic nanofluid and offers a novel high- efficiency amphiphilic nanofluid for EOR