Numerical Study on Effects of Nanoparticles Concentration and Steam Flow Rate on Oil Recovery from a Model Porous Medium

Abstract

Effects of nanoparticle and steam injection on the extraction of Iranian American Petroleum Institute (API) 14 heavy oil from a model porous medium at temperatures of 110, 150, and 200 °C were investigated. Nanoparticle content was 1 %, 3 %, and 5 %, and injection flow rates were 0.018, 0.036 and 0.072 mL h−1. In short‐term injection, increasing the injection temperature to 200 °C and the flow rate to 0.072 mL h−1 resulted in the highest recovery. In the mid‐term injection, the highest recovery factor was at a temperature of 150 °C and flow rate of 0.036 mL h−1, while the results of the long‐term injection predicted a non‐monotonic effect of flow rate. The effect of alumina content on the recovery factor is less than that of temperature and flow rate. Interestingly, alumina content also has non‐monotonic effects on the recovery factor.