Deploying nanobubble generator technology as part of Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) operations can lead to efficiency gains and increased recovery of up to 5%, according to a white paper published today by AquaB Nanobubble Innovations.
Nanobubbles are tiny gas bubbles invisible to the eye on the nanometre (nm) scale. AquaB’s innovation focuses on using nanobubbles in the oil and gas sector. The company has identified performance gains from the technology, as well as reduced pollution and enhanced carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS) opportunities.
The white paper, titled ‘Nanobubbles for Enhanced Oil Recovery,’ has been published on the leading industry site Offshore-Technology.com. Written by Dr Mary Ajide, the report explains how nanobubble engineering can be harnessed for use in EOR.
Dr Ajide commented:
“One of the most important properties of nanobubbles, when deployed in EOR operations, is reduced interfacial tension, which is directly linked to the very high surface area of nanobubbles due to their tiny size.
“By leveraging these properties, nanobubbles can improve the efficiency of EOR in several distinct ways, including boosting the sweep efficiency, increasing oil mobilisation, and increasing heat transfer. Cumulatively, these gains stack up to deliver substantial increases in recovery rates.
“Importantly, nanobubbles also deliver environmental benefits over conventional operations, reducing the need for chemical pollutants such as surfactants. Nanobubble engineering is still at an early stage of development, but the results of AquaB’s innovation in the sector to date give us confidence that this technology will be transformative for a wide range of operations.”
In addition to EOR operations, nanobubble-generation technology is expected to deliver productivity gains in processes including fuel enhancement, onshore and offshore water treatment, biofuel production and environmental remediation, for example, produced-water treatment and demineralisation, as well as algae regulation.
AquaB Nanobubble Innovations is a spin-out from the School of Chemical and Bioprocess Engineering at University College Dublin, commercialising the patented platform nanobubble-generation technology lead-invented by company founder and chartered chemical engineer Professor Niall English.
The company recently participated in the SPE Europe Energy Conference in Turin, where it showcased the generators, which use a novel method of generation based on electrostriction to produce bulk nanobubbles for industrial application.
To download the white paper, please visit: https://www.offshore-technology.com/downloads/whitepapers/separation/nanobubbles-recovery-efficiency/#aquab.
To find out more about nanobubbles and their use in Enhanced Oil Recovery, water treatment and the oil and gas sector generally, listen to AquaB’s podcast-based short course “Nanobubbles 101,” available on all podcast platforms and also available to stream on www.nanobubbles101.com.
For more information about AquaB’s nanobubble generators, visit www.aquab.com or email info@aquab.com.