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Updated: Feb 10, 2026
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Enhanced Oil Recovery using a Combination of Biosurfactants
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Graphene Oxide Nanofluids for Heavy-Oil Recovery: Experimental Evaluation and Field-Scale Numerical Simulation of
Jimena Gómez-Delgado1, Andres Felipe Ortiz1, Javier Jaimes1
1Grupo de Investigación en Tomografía Cumputarizada para Caracterización de Yacimientos (GIT), Universidad Industrial de Santander, 680002 Bucaramanga, Colombia.
ACS Omega
|February 9, 2026
Summary
Graphene oxide nanoparticles significantly boost oil recovery in heavy oilfields. This enhanced oil recovery (EOR) method, using graphene oxide (GO) nanofluids, increased oil extraction by 7% in lab tests and projects millions of barrels in simulations.
Area of Science:
- Petroleum Engineering
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Improving oil recovery factor is crucial for reservoir performance and energy sustainability.
- Heavy oil reservoirs present unique challenges for conventional enhanced oil recovery (EOR) methods.
- Nanoparticle-based EOR offers a promising avenue for increasing oil extraction efficiency.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the novel application of graphene oxide (GO) nanoparticles as an EOR agent in heavy oilfields.
- To optimize GO nanofluid properties for enhanced interfacial tension (IFT) reduction and wettability alteration.
- To evaluate the scalability and potential impact of GO nanofluid injection through multiscale modeling.
Main Methods:
- Laboratory experiments were conducted to optimize GO nanofluid parameters (salinity, pH, concentration) affecting IFT and contact angle.
- Coreflooding tests were performed to assess the EOR performance of optimized GO nanofluids compared to waterflooding.
- Numerical reservoir simulation (CMG-STARS) was employed, integrating experimental data for history-matched core-scale and conceptual reservoir-scale models.
Main Results:
- Optimal conditions (900 ppm brine, pH 8, 0.09 wt % GO) reduced IFT from 32.5 to 15.8 mN/m and shifted contact angle from 140° to 90°.
- Coreflooding achieved 63.60% oil recovery with GO nanofluids versus 56.72% with waterflooding (7% incremental gain).
- Reservoir simulation predicted an additional 402,431 barrels of oil over 20 years with nano-GO injection, alongside a more favorable water cut.
Conclusions:
- Graphene oxide (GO) nanofluids demonstrate significant potential as a viable and scalable EOR strategy for heavy oil reservoirs.
- The study validates GO's ability to alter wettability and reduce IFT, leading to improved oil recovery.
- Further research focusing on field-scale validation, economic feasibility, and environmental impact is warranted.
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