Coreflood investigation of HPAM/GO-SiO₂ composite through wettability alteration

In this study a novel polymeric nanocomposites HPAM/GO-SiO₂ for enhanced oil recovery is investigated experimentally. An investigation of the composite's structural integrity, morphological interactions, and possible bonding effects was conducted. Response surface method was used to replicate contact angle measurements. Because of the complicated nature of nanopolymeric solutions, there are several metrics of wettability that are more sensitive than others. The model's insufficiency was not supported by any evidence. Fluid flow in hybrid polymeric nanofluids was studied using the central composite design with an R² of 93.48%. Nanoparticle concentrations were optimised using CCD models (0.05 wt%). Hence, the wettability alteration plays a dominant role in the oil displacement mechanism. Core flood testing was used to develop a new chemical composition that outperformed the common polymer. Experiments comparing floods showed that the GO-SiO₂/HPAM composite was superior in terms of pressure drop, water cut, and ultimate oil recovery. Using HPAM and GO-SiO₂/HPAM at concentrations of 0.05 wt% results in 15.47 and 30.82% increase in the oil recovery.