Perspectives in Nanocellulose for Crude Oil Recovery: A Minireview

Abstract

The increasing energy demand worldwide pushes the exploration of new and efficient ways to improve crude oil recovery and processing. From a chemical perspective, the petroleum industry relies on a wide range of specialty additives to provide the necessary fluid qualities for up-, mid-, and downstream operations. Currently, most of these compounds come from synthetic sources. However, attention is steadily turning to highperformance new materials derived from natural sources to improve the efficiency and productivity of the petroleum industry while reducing its environmental impacts. Cellulose is an abundant, renewable, and biodegradable material with outstanding chemical versatility. Cellulose structural modifications result in numerous products, with some as old as paper, textiles, explosives, and texturizing agents and others as new as functional nanostructures. This minireview focuses on nanocellulose-based materials as high-performance agents for enhanced oil recovery and emulsion stabilization/destabilization in the petroleum industry.

Effect of Self-Aggregation Behavior of Geminized Cationic Amphiphilic Macromolecules on the Removal Mechanism of Asphaltenes

“…AGB n monomers, 1,3-bis (N,N-dimethyl-N-benzylammonium)-2-propyl acrylate dibromide, were prepared according to the synthetic routes in Figure S1a. 1 H NMR, CAC values, and molecular weight (M w ) of PAGB n in aqueous solutions were characterized, and the results are presented in Figure S1b, Figure S2, and Table S2.…”

“…Heavy oil deposition on rock surfaces poses a big challenge for enhancing oil recovery (EOR). 1,2 Among heavy ends in crude oil, asphaltenes consist of polyaromatic structures and aliphatic side chains, which are defined as very polar compounds. These polar functional groups in asphaltenes are generally responsible for their aggregation/adhesion on surfaces and can lead to pipe clogging or hinder oil recovery.…”

Application of Polymers for Chemical Enhanced Oil Recovery: A Review

“…The structure distribution determines the properties of cellulose. Cellulose can withstand high mechanical shearing and temperature due to its network structure [ 32 ]. Nonetheless, the network structure causes heterogeneous swelling and insolubility.…”

Saving the environment by automation of crude oil distillation in a rectification column

“…Oil is used in petrochemistry as a feedstock in the production of synthetic rubber, alcohols, polyethylene, polypropylene, a wide range of various plastics and finished products manufactured from them, artificial fabrics, motor fuels (gasoline, kerosene, diesel and jet fuels), oils and lubricants, boiler and furnace fuels (fuel oil), building materials (bitumen, tar, asphalt), and some protein preparations used as additives in livestock feed to stimulate its growth [4]. To meet the growing demand for petroleum products, new high-capacity crude oil distillation units should be put into operation annually [5]. Also, the capacity of operating units should be increased through intensifying processes by improving their technologies and implementing the latest highly efficient equipment and automation [6][7][8].…”