New In Situ Amphipathic Polymerization-Modified Titanium Quantum Dots: Application as a High-Performance...

Area of Science:

• Petroleum Engineering
• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Tight gas reservoirs suffer from the water lock effect, hindering hydrocarbon production.
• Developing effective agents to mitigate water lock is crucial for optimizing reservoir recovery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize amphipathic polymer-modified titanium quantum dots (PTQs) for breaking the water lock effect in tight gas reservoirs.
• To investigate the synergistic effects of PTQs with surfactants for enhanced oil and gas recovery.

Main Methods:

• In situ polymerization was used to synthesize PTQs with a hyper-branched structure.
• Characterization included molecular structure, fluorescent properties, and micromorphology analysis.
• Surface activity and wettability alteration of sandstone were evaluated.

Main Results:

• PTQs possess zwitterionic hydrophilic and hydrophobic long-chain groups, with a median particle size of 3.6 nm.
• PTQ fluid demonstrated excellent dispersibility in high salinity brine at elevated temperatures and significantly reduced surface tension.
• PTQ fluid altered sandstone wettability, reducing capillary resistance and exhibiting amphiphobicity when combined with surfactants.

Conclusions:

• PTQs exhibit strong surface activity due to their unique molecular structure and quantum effects, effectively eliminating the water lock effect.
• The synergistic effect between PTQs and surfactants enhances their performance in breaking water lock.
• This research provides valuable insights for developing high-performance water-lock-breaking agents for tight gas reservoir applications.