Microfluidics for Fluid Analysis in Oil Sands and Tight Oils

Unconventional oil recovery has advanced over the decades as conventional oil supply declines. In North America, unconventional oil has been commercialized in the oil sands and shale formations. However, as oil prices collapse and emission concerns associated with hydrocarbon recovery increases, producers are seeking cost-effective methods to improve economic and environmental performance. Steam-Assisted Gravity Drainage (SAGD) and hydraulic fracturing methods are hindered by massive water demands for stimulating formations. Microfluidics, a fluid analysis tool benefiting from small sample volumes and precise quantification, has emerged as a useful platform for hydrocarbon analysis, particularly for demanding, reservoir-relevant conditions (high temperatures and pressures). In this vein, the presented work demonstrates two microfluidic applications. The first method is a tube-based viscometer with in-line mixing relevant to solvent-based recovery of oil sands. The second method is a physical model of nanopores relevant to hydraulic fracturing with the aim to show fluid interactions at the pore-scale.