A review on application of nanoparticles in cEOR: Performance, mechanisms, and influencing parameters

Various chemical additives used in chemical enhanced oil recovery (cEOR) boost hydrocarbon recovery due to their incredible potential for changing critical reservoir properties. Because of the incremental oil production feasibility, the novel application of nanoparticles (NPs) in cEOR injectant fluids has piqued the interest of many researchers in recent years. However, no systematic review of NPs utilization in polymer and surfactant fluids has been documented. As a result, the purpose of this review is to highlight the use of nanofluids in cEOR at high temperature and salinity. In this comprehensive review, a detailed bibliometric survey is performed using Scopus and presented using VOS viewer, which outlines publication sources, frequent keywords in publications, and research pioneering countries. Furthermore, NPs critical factors that have rarely been mentioned in previous reviews, such as morphology, salinity and stability, and a high surface to volume ratio are discussed in detail. Furthermore, the disadvantages of polymer, surfactant, and solitary nanofluid flooding, as well as the requirement for a combination of NPs with polymer and surfactant, are thoroughly discussed. As the most research pertaining to the implementation of NPs in cEOR is still in its early stages, there is a dearth of literature describing NPs mechanisms in providing additional recovery. Finally, the research gap is identified, and recommendations for future work on nanofluid flooding are provided. Overall, the incorporation of NPs into cEOR yield promising results, and more research in this area is warranted in the future.