Nanotechnology in the Oil Nanotechnology in the Oil and Gas Industryand Gas Industry

Joshua MorenoJoshua Moreno

Scott MarwilScott Marwil

Danielle MillerDanielle Miller

IntroductionIntroduction How can nanotechnology How can nanotechnology

help the oil and gas help the oil and gas industry?industry?

First, let’s identify the First, let’s identify the problems:problems:

Drilling equipment tends to Drilling equipment tends to wear down fairly quicklywear down fairly quickly

Normally, oil wells are only Normally, oil wells are only able to recover about 1 out able to recover about 1 out of every 3 barrels of oil from of every 3 barrels of oil from a reservoira reservoir

Current Seismic technology Current Seismic technology cannot produce high cannot produce high enough resolution data enough resolution data about the oil reservoirabout the oil reservoir

With peak oil fast With peak oil fast approaching, there is a approaching, there is a definite need to be able to definite need to be able to fully utilize all of the fully utilize all of the resources that are availableresources that are available

IntroductionIntroduction Nanotechnology Nanotechnology

is striving to is striving to help the oil and help the oil and gas industry gas industry increase oil increase oil recovery by recovery by improving:improving:• Chemicals used Chemicals used

in recovery of oilin recovery of oil• Drilling MaterialsDrilling Materials• Reservoir Reservoir

SurveillanceSurveillance

NanocoatingsNanocoatings

Anti-wear for drilling Anti-wear for drilling partsparts

Anti-corrosion for Anti-corrosion for pipelines and other pipelines and other exposed long term exposed long term structuresstructures

Lubricants and drilling Lubricants and drilling mudmud

Thermal coatings to Thermal coatings to lower deformationlower deformation

Anti-fouling for shipsAnti-fouling for ships

Anti-wear coatingAnti-wear coating

Goal is to increase durability in moving Goal is to increase durability in moving partsparts

Increased durability gives added Increased durability gives added toughness, a longer life span, and a lower toughness, a longer life span, and a lower equipment cost over timeequipment cost over time

Coating is usually sprayed on and will Coating is usually sprayed on and will bond with the host material.bond with the host material.

Drilling materials need advances to be Drilling materials need advances to be able to reach hard to get oil reservesable to reach hard to get oil reserves

NanovarNanovar

Produced by Produced by IntegranIntegran

Can be put on most Can be put on most any composite any composite metalmetal

Coatings custom Coatings custom made for situation made for situation and material being and material being applied toapplied to

NanovarNanovar

Much denser than Much denser than metal on an atomic metal on an atomic levellevel

Provides strength, Provides strength, hardness, and hardness, and thermal resistance thermal resistance which are three which are three things needed in oil things needed in oil drilling in the drilling in the future to reach future to reach reserves reserves

Anti-corrosionAnti-corrosion Long lasting coatings are Long lasting coatings are

needed to protect under needed to protect under sea pipes from sea watersea pipes from sea water

Coatings used on rigs and Coatings used on rigs and other platforms to other platforms to prevent rust and prevent rust and corrosion that can cause corrosion that can cause safety issuessafety issues

More environmental More environmental friendly than anti-friendly than anti-corrosion paints and corrosion paints and cheapercheaper

Anti-corrosionAnti-corrosion

Metal surfaces are Metal surfaces are imperfectimperfect

Surface Surface penetration from penetration from the coating is vital the coating is vital to performanceto performance

Nanocoatings can Nanocoatings can be custom made be custom made and out perform and out perform traditional coatings traditional coatings in this aspectin this aspect

Nanofluids - lubricantsNanofluids - lubricants

Suspensions of nanoparticles in fluids Suspensions of nanoparticles in fluids that enhance its propertiesthat enhance its properties

Main advantage in the oil and gas Main advantage in the oil and gas field is the enhanced thermal field is the enhanced thermal properties (performs well at high/low properties (performs well at high/low temperatures, transfers heat well, temperatures, transfers heat well, insulates well, etc)insulates well, etc)

Highly customizable to the desired Highly customizable to the desired situationsituation

Nanofluids – drilling mudNanofluids – drilling mud

Nanofluids used in drilling mud is being looked at as a Nanofluids used in drilling mud is being looked at as a solution to ultra deep drilling fluidsolution to ultra deep drilling fluid

Nanoparticles added at a low weight percentage can Nanoparticles added at a low weight percentage can have a big impact in the fluidhave a big impact in the fluid

The suspension of nanoparticles can provide The suspension of nanoparticles can provide enhanced stability against sedimentation along with enhanced stability against sedimentation along with better thermal, mechanical, electrical, and magnetic better thermal, mechanical, electrical, and magnetic propertiesproperties

Customizable for the situation and geography/regionCustomizable for the situation and geography/region Improvements will enable access to deeper, hotter Improvements will enable access to deeper, hotter

regions in high grade formations where oil cannot regions in high grade formations where oil cannot currently be reachedcurrently be reached

Anti-foulingAnti-fouling

Big issue in the Big issue in the marine industrymarine industry

These bacteria and These bacteria and plants can increase plants can increase a ships fuel costs a ships fuel costs by 40%by 40%

Environmental Environmental concerns about concerns about current anti-fouling current anti-fouling paintspaints

Anti-foulingAnti-fouling

AMBIO project is seeking AMBIO project is seeking a nanocoating solution a nanocoating solution that eliminates foulingthat eliminates fouling

Focuses on how Focuses on how microorganisms attach to microorganisms attach to the surfaces of ships the surfaces of ships

Seeks to combine a low Seeks to combine a low drag silicon coating with drag silicon coating with carbon nanotubescarbon nanotubes

Wrap-upWrap-up

Still a lot of development occurring in Still a lot of development occurring in this fieldthis field

Development slowed by competing Development slowed by competing companies. No free flow of companies. No free flow of informationinformation

Will be greatly important as we seek Will be greatly important as we seek harder to reach oil and gas reservesharder to reach oil and gas reserves

Reservoir SurveillanceReservoir Surveillance Purpose: To increase Purpose: To increase

knowledge about oil wells in knowledge about oil wells in an attempt to recover more an attempt to recover more oil from wellsoil from wells

Rice University is working Rice University is working on “nanoreporters”on “nanoreporters”

Made up of hundreds of Made up of hundreds of millions of carbon clustersmillions of carbon clusters

Each reporter is Each reporter is approximately 30,000 times approximately 30,000 times smaller than a human hairsmaller than a human hair

Reservoir SurveillanceReservoir Surveillance

These “reporters” are designed to These “reporters” are designed to change their molecular makeup change their molecular makeup depending on what they encounter – depending on what they encounter – water, petroleum, hydrogen sulfide, etcwater, petroleum, hydrogen sulfide, etc

They are also given tags, similar to They are also given tags, similar to barcodes, that can tell scientists how barcodes, that can tell scientists how long they have been undergroundlong they have been underground

Reservoir SurveillanceReservoir Surveillance Lastly, they are being designed to be able Lastly, they are being designed to be able

to report properties about the material that to report properties about the material that they are currently nearthey are currently near

With the ability to report temperature and With the ability to report temperature and pressure, they can relay valuable pressure, they can relay valuable information to scientistsinformation to scientists

Reservoir SurveillanceReservoir Surveillance How does this increased knowledge help?How does this increased knowledge help? With a better idea of the physical properties With a better idea of the physical properties

of an oil reservoir, operators will have a of an oil reservoir, operators will have a much easier time finding and recovering oilmuch easier time finding and recovering oil

This would also allow easier placement of This would also allow easier placement of Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) chemicals Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) chemicals such as emulsifier and foamersuch as emulsifier and foamer

NanorobotsNanorobots Another new technology Another new technology

that may have an impact on that may have an impact on the oil and gas industry is the oil and gas industry is nano-robots. The EXPEC nano-robots. The EXPEC Advanced Research Center Advanced Research Center has been looking into this has been looking into this new technologynew technology

They have coined the They have coined the phrase resbots, or reservoir phrase resbots, or reservoir robotsrobots

These resbots are designed These resbots are designed for a similar purpose as the for a similar purpose as the nanoreporters; however, nanoreporters; however, they are proving to be they are proving to be difficult due to their larger difficult due to their larger sizesize

Resbot lead technologist Mazen Kanj illustrates that one drop of solution contains more 600 billion Resbots. One milligram of the dry material holds 6 trillion Resbots.

NanorobotsNanorobots In order for any particle In order for any particle

to move through an oil to move through an oil reservoir, it must be reservoir, it must be able to pass through able to pass through tiny pores in the rocktiny pores in the rock

In order for resbots to In order for resbots to be able to pass through be able to pass through them, EXPEC ARC had them, EXPEC ARC had to manipulate the to manipulate the physical and chemical physical and chemical properties of the properties of the resbots until they were resbots until they were able to pass through able to pass through the poresthe pores

Reservoir rock holds oil in tiny pores connected by “pore throats,” outlined in red, which are even smaller than the pores. Nanorobots must be small enough to pass through the pore throats.

NanorobotsNanorobots

Te EXPEC ARC has recently produced Te EXPEC ARC has recently produced the first positive test of their resbotsthe first positive test of their resbots

They were able to pass the resbots They were able to pass the resbots through a core sample and through a core sample and successfully recover themsuccessfully recover them

This is great first step in resbot This is great first step in resbot technologytechnology

NanorobotsNanorobots

The resbots that they passed through the The resbots that they passed through the core sample were “dumb” resbots, meaning core sample were “dumb” resbots, meaning that they had no sensing capability yetthat they had no sensing capability yet

The next step is to begin adding the sensors The next step is to begin adding the sensors to the resbots to the resbots

Saudi Aramco’s EXPEC ARC representatives at the February Applied Technology Workshop. From left are Hiba Dialdin; Dr. Mazen Kanj, workshop chairman; Dr. Muhammad Al-Saggaf; Rami Kamal, workshop committee member; and Modiu Sanni.

ConclusionsConclusions

Great expectations and nearly Great expectations and nearly limitless possibilitieslimitless possibilities

Too expensive to use in the presentToo expensive to use in the present Will be invaluable in the futureWill be invaluable in the future Can help delay peak oilCan help delay peak oil

QuestionsQuestions

Works CitedWorks Cited ““Nanotechnology advances to shed new light on reservoirs,” Nanotechnology advances to shed new light on reservoirs,”

JPT OnlineJPT Online ““Resbots Pass First Reservoir Feasibility Tests,” Saudi Resbots Pass First Reservoir Feasibility Tests,” Saudi

Aramco NewsAramco News

• Applications of Nanofluids: Current and Future”Applications of Nanofluids: Current and Future”Kevin v. Wong and Omar Kevin v. Wong and Omar

De LeonDe Leon University of MiamiUniversity of Miami ““Development and implementation of plasma sprayed Development and implementation of plasma sprayed

nanostructured ceramic coatings”nanostructured ceramic coatings”M. Gell, E.H. Jordan, Y.H. SohnM. Gell, E.H. Jordan, Y.H. Sohn

http://www.netl.doe.gov/publications/factsheets/rd/R&D108.pdf

Group S4 Please prepare rebuttal

Danielle MillerScott Marwil

Joshua Moreno

General CommentsFirst of all, thanks to all the groups for the

constructive criticism.Both Josh and Scott have learned from the

presentations and used the experience to develop their speaking skills.

TimingOur group presented this topic without

Danielle. This explains why our presentation came up a little bit short on time.

Even so, the group could have done a bit more to lengthen the presentation.

In the future, more effort will be put into maintaining a good pace in the presentation.

Slide PicturesMore pictures could have been used and a

couple of them were a little blurry. This issue arose because the pictures we used were small to begin with.

A more thorough picture search could have fixed this and will be implemented in the future.

ResearchSeveral comments arose about the amount of

research done for the presentation.We feel that, due to a presenter missing, we

provided more than enough information for two people to research.

Presentation:Nanotechnology in the Oil and Gas Industry

By Group 4

Group S1REVIEW of Nanotechnology in the Oil and Gas

Industry

Josh had good speaking skills◦ Seemed knowledgeable◦ Good pace

Slides had good format◦ Large text, except for first slide◦ Lots of graphics

Use of humor in end question slide Presenters answered questions with further

information than what was presented◦ Showed good preparation for presentation

But the presentation was information-light, so adding the info to the slides would have been helpful

Two group members managed well in the absence of third member

Scott can improve speaking skills◦ Rushed pace◦ Looked at monitor more than audience

Seemed like the group could not find adequate information for presentation◦ Little detail in slides◦ A different topic choice where information was

more available would have been better Slide information was not cited in slides or

at end of presentation◦ Pictures were not cited either

Slides (20/20)◦ Well designed

Educational Value (16/20)◦ Seemed more interested in quantity than details in

information Graphics (20/20)

◦ Frequent and well placed◦ Made presentation more enjoyable◦ But replace a few pictures with diagrams

Some pictures did not add to presentation Oral presentation (17/20)

◦ 1st speaker did well◦ 2nd speaker needs some practice

Group Analysis of Research (19/20)◦ Needed a little more research on topic for

thoroughness Overall (92/100)

Group S2REVIEW of Nanotechnology in the Oil and Gas

Industry

Chris Heflin

Rachael Houk

Michael Jones

Positives

• Very good at building slides with both pictures and words. Graphs gave good representation of the information.

• Provided multiple applications of the technologies available and delved into each topic.

• Spoke clearly and eloquently.

Negatives

• The presentation was a bit brief. They could elaborate more on each topic rather than moving steadily through the slides.

Michael Koetting

James Kancewick

Bradford Lamb

Group S3REVIEW of Nanotechnology in the Oil and Gas

Industry

Overall

• Good explanations of slides

• Good time management

• Expanded on topics

• Nano robot discusion very interesting

Recommendations

• Have more information/ slides about the topics

• Better time management

• More pictures

Group S5

REVIEW of Nanotechnology in the Oil and Gas Industry

Trevor SeidelLaura Young

Presentation Review

• The presentation needed more graphics

• Some of the slides were just words

• The oral presenters spoke clearly and were easy to understand

• Some of the slides were a little wordy and detracted from the oral presentation

• The topic was well developed and interesting to the audience

Presentation Review

• The team presented the information well and understood the topic thoroughly

• The oral presentation was good; they spoke clearly and slowly—easy to understand

John BaumhardtDaniel Arnold

Michael TrevathanMichael Tran

Group S6

REVIEW of Nanotechnology in the Oil and Gas Industry

Review

• Professional slide layout and, except for a couple graphics, the graphic text sizing was easy to read.

• The presentation was very professional and the interest/passion felt for the topic was evident throughout the presentation.

• The verbal presentation was quite good overall. There was some reading straight off of the slides, which was distracting.

• For some of the topics, we felt, while the nanotechnology research was interesting, the shortcomings of the current industrial methods were not explicitly established.

Critique of Information

• We are afraid the actual drive for anti-corrosion technology was missed in the presentation.

• From a natural gas background, the anti-corrosion section doesn’t address the corrosion aspect of the natural gas industry. In the industry, corrosion refers to the degradation and destruction of pipelines internal walls.

• Whenever untreated natural gas (from a well) travels through a pipe line microbes accumulate throughout the pipeline, and some produce sulfur that corrodes the pipeline.

• Nanotechnology solutions are most likely focused on internal pipeline corrosion rather than low impact sea water, rust, and paint degradation.

Critique (continued)

• We believe that our concerns with the presentation are due to the incorporation of too many subtopics.

• There were so many applications discussed that a clear/in-depth analysis couldn’t possibly have been performed for the background section of every topic.

• This topics were extremely interesting and the nanotechnology information seemed very well researched and established.