The Role of Nanoparticle Technology in Oil and Gas Industry Application: Small Size, Big Effects

Nanoparticle technology is a promising field of interdisciplinary research, which opens up numerous opportunities in various fields in the energy and the environment. Hence, potential uses and benefits of such technology are enormous. Our Nanotechnology Research Group at the University of Calgary has carried out a number of research activities pertaining to the synthesis and direct application of nanoparticles, with a specific focus on innovation of naturally derived nanoparticle-based materials and processes. Discoveries made in our laboratory have a wide range of practical applications, including heavy oil upgrading and recovery, EOR, inhibition of formation damage, friction reduction during fracking, oil spill clean-up, treatment of oil sands process-affected water, utilization of waste-heavy hydrocarbons, such as asphaltenes and petroleum coke, etc. The state-of-the art approaches and technologies developed by our group provide substantial benefits to industry and society in terms of process simplification, reduced cost, energy efficiency, and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

Our group studies the synthesis of naturally derived nanoparticles with different sizes, shapes and surface functionalities. We have studied in details different aspects of nanoparticle synthesis including several functionalization or grafting methods to customize their use in desired applications. The dynamics of nanoparticle surfaces and its chemistry towards a specified reaction are investigated experimentally and theoretically by carrying out computational modeling through molecular mechanics, DFT and MD calculations and simulations, and then applies this knowledge to design active site nanostructures that enable new adsorptive or catalytic functions to be implemented in real application. Our group’s work in synthesis and application of nanoparticles will provide viable clean alternative technologies for enhancing oil upgrading and recovery, solid waste conversion, wastewater treatment, CO2 capture and conversion and optimized natural gas processing.

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