Oil & Gas industry challenges for the Nanotech community
- Overview
- Nanoscience's Role
- NanoSensors
- NanoMaterials & Coatings
- Nano-scale Fluid Additives
- Nano-membranes
- Chemical Delivery Systems
Oil & Gas Challenges cont.
2. Nano-Materials and Coatings
Addresses the following challenges faced by Oil & Gas:
Exploration, Drilling, Production:
- The need to increase the effectiveness and longevity of drilling components, (by corrosion-resistance for example) making them cheaper, lighter and stronger pipes and drillbits
- Improve strength to weight ratio of pipes, making them more robust but flexible materials
- The need to treat and cure pipes and equipment quickly, self-healing materials (smart materials)
- The need for increased drilling depths
- The need to reduce friction in drilling
- The need to provide stability and pressure integrity for drilling
- The need to withstand adverse weather conditions, such as strong marine currents in deep offshore locations
- The need for barriers against sea water, chemicals and extreme elements
- The need for frigid water pipeline insulation (undersea locations)
- The need for thermal pipeline insulation (desert locations)
- The need to increase heat transfer efficiency
- The need to make offshore platforms sturdier and more light-weight, or completely remove the platforms
- The need to minimize the damage to the well and overall environmental impact
- The need to prevent biofouling
- The need to quantify and prevent formation damage
3. Nano-scale Fluid Additives
Addresses the following challenges faced by Oil && Gas:
- The need to improve the effectiveness, mobility and environmental friendliness of drilling fluids
- The need for controlled agglomeration of particles
- The need for smart drilling fluids, for vibration control for example
4. Nano-Membranes (Separations)
Addresses the following challenges faced by Oil & Gas:
- The need to filter impurities from heavy oil and tight gas, in situ
- The need to filter and purify water for industrial, agricultural and potable use.
- The need to capture carbon dioxide emissions and safely store them underground (CCS)
- The need to reduce interfacial tension (IFT) between crude oil and reservoir water (less than 10-2 mN m-1)
- The need to exclude sand
Chemical Delivery Systems (e.g. Targeted Delivery Vehicles)
Addresses the following challenges faced by Oil & Gas:
- The need to reduce interfacial tension (IFT) between crude oil and reservoir water (less than 10-2 mN m-1)
- The need to overcome capillary forces to allow more oil extraction through small pores
- The need to stimulate the flow of hydrocarbons
