纳米颗粒稳定泡沫在油气开采中的研究进展

Research progresses on nanoparticle-stabilized foams in oil and gas production

近年来纳米技术使得传统油气开采方法悄然转型,针对泡沫流体稳定性差等问题,研究者们提出加入纳米颗粒对泡沫系统进行稳定。本文详细介绍了部分疏水型和亲水型两种类型纳米颗粒稳定泡沫机理的异同,阐述了纳米颗粒在气液界面的不可逆吸附是稳定泡沫的主要机理;综述了纳米颗粒稳定的泡沫在提高采收率和泡沫压裂液中的最新应用,分析表明纳米颗粒不仅大幅度增加了泡沫的稳定性,并且能提高泡沫驱和压裂液的液体效率;指出了纳米颗粒稳定泡沫的问题在于纳米颗粒与泡沫流体作用复杂、改性的纳米颗粒成本较高、对低孔低渗地层的潜在伤害、缺乏工业化应用等;提出了用亲水纳米颗粒与表面活性剂协同稳泡降低成本、针对不同泡沫性能来优化纳米颗粒与表面活性剂的浓度、将纳米颗粒稳定泡沫应用到非常规油气藏等研究方向,最后展望了纳米技术在石油领域的发展潜力。

Recently, as nanotechnology transforms traditional production methods, researchers have put forward nanoparticles for stabilizing foams aiming at improving the poor stability of foams. Similarities and differences between partially hydrophobic and hydrophilic nanoparticles for stabilizing foams were described and discussed in detail, which demonstrated that the main mechanism of stabilization is irreversible adsorption of nanoparticles at water-and-gas interface. The newest applications of nanoparticle-stabilized foams in the fields of enhancing oil recovery and foam fracturing fluids were summarized. Illustrating that nanoparticles can not only enhance stability of foams, but also improve the efficiency of foam fluids. However, the current problems of nanoparticle-stabilized foams are complicated interactions between nanoparticles and foams, high cost of modified nanoparticles, potential damage to the formation with low porosity and permeability and the lack of industrial applications. Future development directions were introduced such as reducing cost by using hydrophilic nanoparticles and surfactants together, concentration optimization of nanoparticles and surfactants according to different performance requirements of foams and applications to unconventional resources. Finally, the development potential of nanotechnology in oil industry was prospected.