Despite the progress made on renewable energy, oil and gas remains the world’s primary energy source. Meanwhile, large amounts of oil deposits remain unrecovered after application of traditional oil recovery methods. Chemical enhanced oil recovery (EOR) has been adjudged as an efficient oil recovery technique to recover bypassed oil and residual oil trapped in the reservoir. This EOR method relies on the injection of chemicals to boost oil recovery. In this overview, an up-to-date synopsis of chemical EOR with detailed explanation of the chemicals used, and the mechanism governing their oil recovery application have been discussed. Challenges encountered in the application of the various conventional chemical EOR methods were highlighted, and solutions to overcome the challenges were proffered. Besides, the recent trend of incorporating nanotechnology and their synergistic effects on conventional chemicals stability and efficiency for EOR were also explored and analysed. Finally, laboratory results and field projects were outlined. The review of experimental studies shows that pore-scale mechanisms of conventional chemical EOR is enhanced by incorporating nanotechnology, hence, resulted in higher efficiency. Moreover, the use of ionic liquid chemicals and novel alkaline–cosolvent–polymer technology shows good potentials. This overview presents an extensive information about chemical EOR applications for sustainable energy production.

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An overview of chemical enhanced oil recovery: recent advances and prospects

Polymer gel systems as water management materials have been widely used in recent years for enhanced oil recovery applications. However, most polymer gel systems are limited in their ability to withstand the harsh environments of high temperature and high salinity. Those polymer gel systems that can handle high-temperature excessive water treatments are reviewed in this paper and categorized into three major types: in situ cross-linked polymer gels, preformed gels, and foamed gels. Future directions for the development of polymer gel systems for high-temperature conditions are recommended. For excessive water management with temperatures from 80 to 120 °C, current polymer systems are substantially adequate. Polymer gel systems composed of partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (HPAM)/chromium can be combined with nanoparticle technology to elongate their gelation time and reduce the adsorption of chromium ions in the formation. Phenolic resin cross-linker systems have reasonable gelation times and gel streng...

Polymer Gel Systems for Water Management in High-Temperature Petroleum Reservoirs: A Chemical Review

The use of surfactants in enhanced oil recovery: A review of recent advances

Adsorption analysis of natural anionic surfactant for enhanced oil recovery: The role of mineralogy, salinity, alkalinity and nanoparticles

Comprehensive study on nanofluid and ionanofluid for heat transfer enhancement: A review on current and future perspective

Reducing surfactant adsorption on rock by silica nanoparticles for enhanced oil recovery

A novel strengthened dispersed particle gel for enhanced oil recovery application

Investigation on bubble snap-off in 3-D pore-throat micro-structures

Experimental research of hydroquinone (HQ)/hexamethylene tetramine (HMTA) gel for water plugging treatments in high-temperature and high-salinity reservoirs

In order to solve the problem that polymer gel is not suitable for profile control in high temperature and high salinity reservoirs, a good inorganic profile control agent (Na2O · mSiO2) is studied in this article. The results show that sodium silicate in high temperatures and high salinity can self-generate white precipitation, which can effectively block high permeability zones and/or thief zones and expand sweep volume. The precipitation mass is related to modulus, temperature, salinity, and aging time in high temperatures. Sand-packed models experiments indicate that sodium silicate in high temperatures and high salinity has a good blocking and oil displacement effect, which can further enhance oil recovery. Field application results also confirm that sodium silicate is a good inorganic profile control agent in high temperature and high salinity reservoir.

Long He

Papers

Reducing surfactant adsorption on rock by silica nanoparticles for enhanced oil recovery

A novel strengthened dispersed particle gel for enhanced oil recovery application

Investigation on bubble snap-off in 3-D pore-throat micro-structures

Experimental research of hydroquinone (HQ)/hexamethylene tetramine (HMTA) gel for water plugging treatments in high-temperature and high-salinity reservoirs

Study and Field Application of a Profile Control Agent in a High Temperature and High Salinity Reservoir