Page 205 - Formation Damage during Improved Oil Recovery Fundamentals and Applications

Using Nanofluids to Control Fines Migration in Porous Systems 179

4.2 LABORATORY PROOF AND FIELD CASES

Yuan et al. (2018b) reviewed both the experimental findings and field
application examples related to nanofluid application for fines migration con-
trol. Among them, Huang et al. (2015) delivered laboratory testing of nano-
particles to stabilize both expandable (Bentonite) and non-expandable clays
(Illite) in sand packs. Pressure drops along each tube packed with a mixture of
sands and clays were measured with separate transducers. To compare the
clay-stabilizing capability of nanoparticles with commercial clay stabilizer for
the control of expandable clays, another two sand packs, one without clays
(Bentonite or Illite) and one with bentonite, but using 2% bv CS-38 for clay
stabilization, were presented. CS-38 is a type of liquid commercial clay stabi-
lizer with polyquat amines as active components. In Fig. 4.1,the decreased
values of pressure drop as 5% bw KCl water flows through the pack contain-
ing magnesium oxide nanoparticles and clay stabilizer confirms the effective-
ness of magnesium oxide nanoparticles in stabilizing both expandable and
nonexpandable clays and keeps the clay particles at their original locations.
Huang et al. (2010) also reported a field example of deepwater well
treated with nanoparticles-coated proppant for a frac-packing operation
in Gulf of Mexico. Before the utilization of nanoparticles, the

Figure 4.1 Comparison of pressure drop along sand packs with Bentonite or Illite
clays at 10 mL/min of 5%bw KCL (Huang et al., 2015; Yuan et al., 2018).