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
• 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