Nanoparticles and nanocomposites in enhanced oil recovery, asphaltene inhibition, and carbon dioxide sequestration: Mechanisms and prospects

This study provides a comprehensive review of nano-particles and nano-composites applications in oilfield, focusing on their roles in enhanced oil recovery (EOR), asphaltene deposition mitigation, and CO 2 storage. Building on prior research, it identifies the most promising nanotechnology-based approaches and outlines a detailed roadmap for future breakthroughs. Thus, in this regard, the review evaluates 21 nanomaterials, including Al 2 O 3 (γ/α phases), SiO 2 , MgO, CuO, ZrO 2 , NiO, graphene oxide (GO), SnO, CaCO 3 , CeO 2 , TiO 2 , carbon nanotubes (CNT), and hybrid composites (e.g., SiO 2 /γ-Al 2 O 3 , TiO 2 /MgO, ZnO/γ-Al 2 O 3 , ZnO/CuO, ZnO/ZrO 2 , TiO 2 /SiO 2 , TiO 2 /ZnO, Fe 3 O 4 /SiO 2 , and CuO/Al 2 O 3 ), demonstrating their superior performance in improving operational efficiency. The findings demonstrate that nanotechnology offers superior performance, highlighting its potential to revolutionize the oil industry by improving oil production efficiency. On the other hand, nano-particles such as ZnO, Al 2 O 3 , SiO 2 , and TiO 2 stand out due to their strong adsorption capacity, thermal stability, and ability to tune deposition mechanisms. Also, notably, nano-composites (such as SiO 2 +Al 2 O 3 and Fe 2 O 3 +Al 2 O 3 ) excel in asphaltene inhibition due to synergistic nano-particle-hydrocarbon interactions. The results also show that nano-composites (TiO 2 @SiO 2 ) increase the integrity of CO 2 storage. Generally, this study highlights key challenges hindering large-scale implementation and serves as a critical resource for researchers advancing nanotechnology in petroleum engineering.