Objective of this research:
The objective of this research project is to formulate and investigate physiochemical properties of a model drilling fluids utilizing the nanomaterials. We will investigate the significance of nanomaterial which may influence thermal and rheological properties, lubrication, drag reduction, and sagging in drilling operations. Overall it is extremely difficult colloidal chemistry challenge to isolate the interaction of weighting agents having different chemistry, density, size and shape with other drilling fluids components such as solvent, dispersant/wetting agent, gelling agents, and the viscosity modifier to develop model drilling nanofluids. In real, there is a complex balance of dynamic processes need to be investigated for developing a model drilling nanofluids possessing superior thermal properties, enhanced stability, altered wettability, better lubrication, low friction coefficient, and reduced drag.
Taking this challenge on board, a well-characterised series of nano-sized weighting agents will be used to develop model drilling nanofluids, and their properties will be compared to the traditionally being used micro-size weighting agents. These nano-sized weighting agents are expected to provide a significantly higher surface area for wettability/dispersity and heat exchange during drilling operations. An extensive amount of data will be generated by BET surface area analysis, Turbiscan sedimentation studies, Kruss contact angle measurements, and monitoring rheological properties to achieve proposed model drilling nanofluids.
Group Members:
- Dr. Safyan Khan
- Dr. Sahid Ali
Research facilities:
Fully equipped lab for synthesis facilities, Turbiscan, Dynamic light scattering, Xego Acorn area measurements, High speed centrifuge, UV visible spectroscopy, High shear silverson mixers, Access to Rheological facilities, SEM, TEM, Contact angle measurements, XRD analysis, EPR measurements.
Collaborations:
Center for Integrative Petroleum Research (CIPR), KFUPM
On-going project:
- Synthesis and Characterization of Functionalized Super-Paramagnetic Nanomaterials as Imaging Agents for Crude Oil-Bearing Formation
- Sand coating for oil exploration applications
- Development of Smart Complex Nanofluids for Enhanced Oil Recovery
Latest publications:
- Electrocatalytic performance of Ni@Pt core-shell nanoparticles supported on carbon nanotubes for methanol oxidation reaction. Journal of Electroanalytical Chemistry, 795, (2017) 17-25.
- Synthesis, structures and photoluminescence properties of mixed ligand divalent metal-organic frameworks. New J. Chem., 41 (2017) 2980-2986
- Transformation of Cadmium Tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ) into a Cadmium Terephthalate Metal-Organic Framework. Australian Journal of Chemistry - https://doi.org/10.1071/CH17187 (2017).
- Surfactant-free synthesis of ellipsoidal and spherical shaped TiO2 nanoparticles and their comparative photocatalytic studies. Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering, Vol 5, Issue 4, (2017), 3956-3962.
- Plasmon Aided (BiVO4)x-(TiO2)1-x Ternary Nanocomposites for Efficient Solar Water Splitting. Solar Energy 155 (2017) 770-780.
- US Patent: Graphene foam based optical sensor for oil exploration and spills detection. Patent Application No. 15/623,894 (May 2017)
- A method for the synthesis of nanoparticles of heterometallic nanocomposite materials Patent Application No. 15724445 (April 2017)
- Shape- and size-controlled surfactant-free synthesis of Fe3O4 nanoparticles via chemical coprecipitation submitted in Arabian Journal of Chemistry" (2017). Manuscript ID: ARABJC-D-17-02077
- Hydrophilic and hydrophobic superparamagnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles as T2-contrast agents for oil reservoir applications submitted Colloids and Surfaces A: (2017). Manuscript ID: COLSUA-D-17-02326
- Synthesis and stability of luminescent ZnO quantum dots embedded silica nano-tracers for remote sensing applications submitted in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces (2017) Manuscript ID am-2017-19011k
