Practical Nanotechnology for Petroleum Engineers

About Chun HuhHugh DaigleMasa ProdanovicValentina Prigiobbe

Prof. Chun Huh is one of the worlds leading experts on surfactant- and polymer-based enhanced oil recovery (EOR) methods. Chun Huh equation which predicts ultralow interfacial tension from microemulsion solubilization is widely used for the design of surfactant-based EOR processes. He is also the formulator of Huh-Scriven paradox whose resolution is still being proposed by fluid mechanics researchers working on dynamics of wetting. Since joining UT Austin in 2004 Dr. Huh has started research on use of nanoparticles for a variety of upstream oil industry applications. Some of the applications being developed are: use of superparamagnetic nanoparticles (i) for efficient removal of contaminants from oilfield produced water (ii) for improved oil and gas production flow assurance and (iii) for precision conformance control; and use of silica nanoparticles for EOR mobility control.Prof. Masa Prodanovic Dept. of Petroleum & Geosystems Engineering University of Texas at Austin. Prof. Hugh Daigle Dept. of Petroleum & Geosystems Engineering University of Texas at Austin. Prof. Valentina Prigiobbe Dept. of Civil Environmental & Ocean Engineering Stevens Inst. of Technology.