Suspensions for removing hydrocarbons from subterranean formations and related methods

Abstract

A suspension for removing hydrocarbons from a subterranean formation includes a fluid comprising at least one of water, brine, steam, carbon dioxide, a light hydrocarbon, and an organic solvent; and a plurality of nanoparticles dispersed with the fluid. Nanoparticles of the plurality comprise silica and carbon. A method includes forming a plurality of nanoparticles and dispersing the plurality of nanoparticles with a fluid to form a suspension comprising the nanoparticles. A method of recovering a hydrocarbon material includes introducing a suspension into a subterranean formation containing hydrocarbons, forming a stabilized emulsion of the suspension and the hydrocarbons within the subterranean formation; and removing the emulsion from the subterranean formation. The suspension comprises a plurality of nanoparticles, and at least some nanoparticles of the plurality comprise silica and carbon.

1 . A suspension for removing hydrocarbons from a subterranean formation, the suspension comprising:
 a fluid comprising at least one of water, brine, steam, carbon dioxide, a light hydrocarbon, and an organic solvent; and   a plurality of nanoparticles dispersed with the fluid, at least some nanoparticles of the plurality comprising both silica and carbon.   
     
     
         2 . The suspension of  claim 1 , wherein the at least some nanoparticles of the plurality comprise a silica nanoparticle attached to at least one material selected from the group consisting of carbon nanodots, graphene, graphene oxide, carbon nanotubes, and functionalized carbon nanotubes. 
     
     
         3 . The suspension of  claim 1 , wherein the at least some nanoparticles of the plurality of nanoparticles exhibit a mean diameter from about 5 nm to about 50 nm. 
     
     
         4 . The suspension of  claim 1 , wherein the at least some nanoparticles of the plurality are hydrophilic. 
     
     
         5 . The suspension of  claim 1 , wherein the at least some nanoparticles of the plurality comprise silica and carbon bonded by hydroxyl groups. 
     
     
         6 . The suspension of  claim 1 , further comprising a surfactant. 
     
     
         7 . The suspension of  claim 1 , wherein the at least some nanoparticles of the plurality comprise silica and carbon quantum dots. 
     
     
         8 . The suspension of  claim 1 , wherein the fluid comprises liquid water. 
     
     
         9 . The suspension of  claim 1 , wherein the suspension comprises a concentration of the nanoparticles from about 10 ppm to about 10,000 ppm. 
     
     
         10 . The suspension of  claim 1 , wherein the at least some nanoparticles of the plurality comprise functionalized carbon. 
     
     
         11 . The suspension of  claim 10 , wherein the at least some nanoparticles of the plurality comprise hydrophobic functionalized carbon. 
     
     
         12 . The suspension of  claim 10 , wherein the at least some nanoparticles of the plurality comprise hydrophilic functionalized carbon. 
     
     
         13 . The suspension of  claim 1 , wherein the suspension is substantially homogeneous. 
     
     
         14 . The suspension of  claim 1 , wherein the nanoparticles are monomodal. 
     
     
         15 . A method of removing hydrocarbons from a subterranean formation, the method comprising:
 introducing a suspension into a subterranean formation, the suspension comprising:
 a fluid comprising at least one of water, brine, steam, carbon dioxide, a light hydrocarbon, and an organic solvent; and 
 a plurality of nanoparticles dispersed with the fluid, at least some nanoparticles of the plurality comprising both silica and carbon; 
   forming a stabilized emulsion in the subterranean formation, the stabilized emulsion comprising the nanoparticles and a hydrocarbon from the formation; and   withdrawing the stabilized emulsion from the subterranean formation.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising passing the suspension through perforations in the subterranean formation. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising destabilizing at least a portion of the stabilized emulsion removed from the subterranean formation to form distinct, immiscible phases including at least an aqueous phase and a hydrocarbon phase. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein destabilizing at least a portion of the stabilized emulsion comprises modifying a property of the stabilized emulsion selected from the group consisting of temperature, pH, material composition, and pressure. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein destabilizing at least a portion of the stabilized emulsion comprises adding an acid to the stabilized emulsion. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising recovering at least a portion of the nanoparticles.