New Approaches in Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR): A Beneficial Research of Hyperbranched Nanowire-Prepared Weak Gels for Profile Control in High-Temperature and High-Salinity Environments

This study investigates a novel weak gel system prepared from hyperbranched nanowires for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) applications. The gel was synthesized using an environmentally friendly slow-release crosslinker and evaluated for its gelation behavior, viscosity, and structural stability under simulated reservoir conditions. Characterization techniques, including Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), were employed to analyze the chemical and physical properties of the gels. The results demonstrated that O-20@PAM@CNTs gels exhibited superior gelation rates, viscosity, and structural integrity compared to O-20@PAM gels, particularly under elevated temperatures. Core flooding experiments indicated that both gel systems effectively reduced permeability and improved oil recovery, with O-20@PAM@CNTs achieving a higher cumulative recovery rate of 89.9% compared to 79.2% for O-20@PAM. The findings highlight the potential of CNTs-enhanced gels in optimizing oil recovery and addressing reservoir heterogeneity. The findings of this research indicate the potential of O-20@PAM@CNTs to serve as promising candidates for profile control. The introduction of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) into the polymer matrix not only accelerated the gelation process but also significantly improved the mechanical properties and thermal stability of the gels. Core plugging and flooding tests revealed that O-20@PAM@CNTs gels provided superior performance in reducing permeability and improving the cumulative recovery rate, demonstrating their capability to effectively block high-permeability channels and redirect flow towards oil-rich areas. The degradation behavior of the gels also indicated their suitability for reservoir cleaning post-operation. Overall, this study underscores the potential of utilizing advanced polymer-based gels for efficient EOR, offering valuable insights for future applications in the field of petroleum engineering.