First field application of functionalized nanoparticles-based nanofluids in thermal enhanced oil recovery: From laboratory experiments to cyclic steam stimulation process

The increasing global demand for fossil fuels and the depletion of light crude oil reserves have driven the petroleum industry to focus on exploiting heavy crude oils, which present significant challenges in recovery and processing. To address these challenges, enhanced oil recovery (EOR) technologies are being developed, with a strong emphasis on advances in catalysis and nanomaterials science. This research significantly contributes to developing new technologies for petroleum exploitation by introducing a novel nanofluid designed to facilitate in-situ upgrading of heavy oil, improving its quality for downstream refining and fuel production. The nanofluid, engineered to enhance the productivity of a heavy oil reservoir under cyclic steam stimulation, targets improvements in oil recovery and fuel-quality indicators such as API gravity and viscosity. Laboratory tests demonstrated the nanofluid’s capability to reduce oil viscosity, improve oil mobility, and selectively interact with heavy oil fractions like resins and asphaltenes. Displacement tests simulating steam injection conditions showed an improvement in oil recovery, increasing from 56 % to 76 % after nanofluid application. The treatment also led to a notable increase in API gravity, from 11.6° to 29.2°, and a significant reduction in viscosity, from 39,987 cP to 104 cP, indicating enhanced crude oil quality, critical for refining and fuel production. Field trials in two wells in Colombia demonstrated the nanofluid’s practical effectiveness, with production increases averaging 97 % and incremental yields of 11,966 barrels in well A and 3213 barrels in well B. Post-treatment, the crude oil exhibited sustained improvements in quality, with API gravity increasing from 11.6° to 13.4° and viscosity decreasing from 39,987 cP to 11,734 cP. These results confirm the long-term durability of the nanofluid’s effects and its potential to enhance fuel production from heavy oil reservoirs. Additionally, the field trial indicated a 48 % reduction in operational costs, primarily due to decreased steam generation and lower CO₂ emissions, highlighting the environmental and economic benefits of nanofluid technology for petroleum exploitation.