Events
The First Symposium on Application of Nano-Geosciences in Petroleum Engineering
Date: December 13 - 14, 2011
Venue: Campus Plaza Kyoto
Organized by:
- Institut Teknologi Bandung
- Kyoto University
- Kyoto University Global COE Program “Global Center for Education and Research on Human Security Engineering for Asian Megacities”
Co-organized by:
- JAPEX (Japan Petroleum Exploration Company Limited)
- JOGMEC (Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation)
- RITE (Research Institute of Innovative Technology for the Earth)
- VPI (Vietnam Petroleum Institute)
Number of Participants: 63
Presenters: altogether 32 technical presentations
Report 187
Outline
The purpose of the first symposium is to share and discuss the recent research achievements in the application of Nano-Geosciences to the petroleum engineering such as Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) and the CO2 Capture & Storage (CCS) for sustainable energy supply which is essential for human security. Many experimentalists who were interested in the Nano-Geosciences and a direct comparison from the molecular and multi-scale simulations have joined in this symposium. In addition, it is expected that the symposium can also produce a text book in which some of the symposium presenters will be the main contributors of this book.
After the symposium conducted, there was one-day School on “Application of Molecular Simulations in Oil and Gas Industry” which aimed to nurture the next generation of engineers for human energy security and boost their development who will contribute to ensuring stable and long-term energy supplies.
Report
The symposium on“Application of Nano-Geosciences in Petroleum Engineering” was held at Campus Plaza Kyoto, on 13-14th December 2011. This symposium was organized by Kyoto University, Institut Teknologi Bandung, and Global COE Program “Global Center for Education and Research on Human Security Engineering for Asian Megacities”. The chairman of the organizing committee was Dr. Yunfeng Liang from Kyoto University. Around 63 participants who attended the symposium were researchers (including professors, postdocs and students) and engineering from different institution and company among the world (Australia, Brazil, China, California, London, Canada, Japan, Indonesia and Vietnam). There were two activities that be undertaken during this symposium (1) International Symposium on "Application of NanoGeosciences in Petroleum Engineering" (13-14th December 2011), and (2) One-day School on "Application of Molecular Simulations to Oil and Gas Industry" (15th December 2011).
The symposium was opened by Prof. Toshifumi Matsuoka. He welcomed all the participants and highlighted the importance of the application of nano-geosciences in the petroleum engineering for our common future.
After the opening session, there were presentation sessions followed by questions and answers at the end of each presentation. There were 32 presentations categorized into 7 (seven) topics: (1) Characterization of the pore structure and multiphase flow in porous media; (2) Nano technology in petroleum engineering; (3) EOR techniques and its fundamentals; (4) Carbon bearing fluids in deep earth; (5) CO2 geo-sequestration; (6) Oil-water-rock interactions (molecular specific); and (7) Flows in fractured media and shale gas exploration. For each topic, one or two invited speakers from university and petroleum industry gave special lectures to the audience. There were 10 presentations as the special lectures were given by
1. Prof. Amos Nur presented “Digital Rock Physics (DRP) for Reservoir Characterization, Simulation, and Monitoring with Focus on Shales”. He explained the importance of DRP to deepen the visual and quantitative understanding of the reservoir properties.
2. Mr. Masaei Ito presented “Novel Solution with CNT Nano-composities for HPHT Sealing with Japanese Innovative Technology”. He mentioned a novel HPHT material based on a CNT-rubber that enables quantum leap in the oil recovery. Therefore nano technology is ready to be applied in the oil field.
3. Prof. Mingyuan Li presented “Property of a Novel in-Depth Profile Control Agent for EOR”. He mentioned the problems after water flooding such as formation of water channel, low sweep efficiency and low oil recovery rate. He also explained the existence of “in-depth profile control technology” and the contribution of SMP (Sulfomethylated phenol formaldehyde resins) in conjunction with a new in-depth profile control agent that could be effective to control the water flooding and to enhance oil recovery.
4. Prof. Alistair Fletcher presented “Continuous Flow Loop Adsorption Apparatus for Wetting Characteristics of Packs”. He mentioned that the wetting tension parameter is a key concept in the characterization of porous media and important in the EOR and other nano-geosciences processes.
5. Prof. Bo Peng presented “Sulfonated Surfactants from Crude oil Residue and Its Application in EOR”. He mentioned the separation of crude oil residue, the synthesis of sulfonated surfactants, the molecular parameters of sulfonated surfactants, interfacial tension and its relation with the EOR.
6. Prof. Caetano R. Miranda presented “Functionalization of Silica Nanoparticles for Enhanced Oil Recovery”. In general, he mentioned three important things in the Nanogeoscience for Petroleum exploration, namely: The stability of inorganic nanoparticles (SiO2) at the reservoir conditions; The effect of salinity, temperature, pressure and functional groups; and The validity of Young –Laplace at nanoscale.
7. Mr. Leonardo Spanu mentioned “Carbon Bearing Fluids at Deep Earth Pressures and Temperatures”. He mentioned the stability of methane and its phase diagram that has been investigated in a range of pressure of 2-30 GPa and temperature T< 4,000K.
8. Mr. Ian C. Bourg presented “Nanopore Processes in Sealing Cap-Rocks of Carbon Dioxide Storage Repositories”. He mentioned the understanding of geological carbon sequestration (GCS) and the position of Nanoscale in this GCS.
9. Prof. Takashi Kakiuchi presented “Electrochemical Instability at the Oil-Water Interface”. He introduced the electrochemical instability and its phenomena at the oil/water interface.
10. Prof. Keng C. Chou presented “Interactions of Molecules With Mineral Surfaces: A Nonlinear Optical Study of Oil Sands Surface Chemistry”. He explained the current issues such as the need for large amounts of energy, using a great deal of hot water, tailing ponds treatments and seeking no aqueous extraction processes. In connection with these issues, he has established the methodologies using SFG at the liquid/solid interface to identify the surface species, to measure the molecular orientations, and to obtain adsorption isotherms.
The symposium was closed by Prof. Toshifumi Matsuoka. He mentioned that the comprehensive thoughts from all the presenters were very interesting. In general, he concluded the contribution of nano geocscience in the petroleum engineering relating to the Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) and the CO2 Capture & Sequestration (CCS). Last but not least, he mentioned that there will be the next symposium. The audiences also were asked to participate in the upcoming symposium.
The first symposium has been successfully conducted. After the symposium, there was one day school. The instructor of lectures were from Kyoto University (Dr. Yunfeng Liang and Makoto Kunieda), Lawrence Berkeley National Lab-USA (Mr. Ian C. Bourg), and Universidade Federal do ABC Brazil (Prof. Caetano R. Miranda).
