Nanotech solutions for the Oil & Gas industry

• Overview I
• Overview II (cont.)
• Exploration
• Reservoir Management
• Drilling
• Production
• Refining & Distribution

 Nanotech Solutions cont.

Drilling

Nanomaterials and Coatings can provide solutions for:

• Ability to withstand harsh elements, high temperatures and pressures
• Extending lifeline of equipment with corrosion resistance, adhesion enhancement and wear resistance
• Improved robustness, longevity, flexibility of drill bits, gaskets, well caps and tubulars (e.g. nanotube based drill pipe that is lighter, stronger, more flexible than steel)
• Improved strength to weight ratio for an expanding range of geological settings
• Expandable tubulars for deeper wells without needing to telescope the well, or casingless wells
• Improved cement integrity - light density and high strength
• Improved hole quality and well placement
• Improved hermetic seals
• Innovative drill engines that can be sent deep into the shaft
• Improved elastomers - e.g. clay-based polymer nanocomposites that are impermeable to gases and liquids, including hydrocarbons, fire retardant, transparent, with improved temperature resistance and stiffness
• Prevention of bio-fouling

Miniaturization can provide solutions for:

• Miniaturized electronics, higher density batteries
• Small drill-hole evaluation instruments to reduce drilling costs and to provide greater environmental sensitivity

Nanofluids can provide solutions for:

• Improved drilling fluids
• Improved thermal conductivity

Nanomembranes (separations) can provide solutions for:

• Toxic metal removal (mercury, cadmium, lead)
• Preventing drilling mud invasion, separating mud filtrate and formation water

Smart drill bits can provide solutions for:

• Real-time SRO data acquisition
• Less invasive drilling, decreased damage to the payzone

Chemical Delivery Systems can provide solutions for:

• Steerable delivery vehicles

 Production

Nanosensors can provide solutions for:

• In Situ Sensing and Control, monitoring of stresses in real-time
• Ability to withstand high temperatures to go deep into challenging resources of wellbore Deep reading of oil-water interface
• Chemical detection with no active components downhole
• Enhanced Measurements in the borehole (pressure, temprature, composition, conductivity)
• Accurate detection and location of leaks (pipeline, downhole)
• Downhole Separation
• Improved understanding of matrix, fracture, fluid properties and production-related changes
• Ability to direct fracturing

Nanomaterials and Coatings can provide solutions for:

• Increased wear resistance
• Self-healing Materials
• Pressure integrity, improved robustness
• Enhanced hydro-phobic or hydrophilic behavior for waterflood applications

Nanomembranes (separations) can provide solutions for:

• Improved water filtration (for industrial, agricultural and potable use)
• Filtration of impurities from heavy oil and tight gas
• Desulfurization, inhibiting H2S producing bacteria
• Cost effective CO2 sequestration
• Sand exclusion
• Effective water-shutoff
• Scale/wax removal
• Easy separation of oil/water emulsion on the surface

Nanofluids can provide solutions for:

• High-strength/light-weight proppant
• Less damaging fluids
• Enhanced Oil Recovery: enhanced fluid viscosity and molecular modification
• Improved production rates and water disposition
• Reversible/reusible swellables
• Ability to manipulate the interfacial characteristics of rock-fluids relationship
• Reversible and controllable making and breaking of emulsion or foam

Nanoparticulate additives can provide solutions for:

• Improvement of combustion and prevention of fouling and corrosion

 Refining & Distribution

• Increased storage capacity & speed
• Better insulation
• Efficient conversion of hydrocarbons (including extra heavy and sour crude oils) into clean transportation fuels
• Microreactors performed on deep silicon etching tools in order to carry out the refinery at reservoir level