Intelligent materials in unconventional oil and gas recovery

The enhanced potential properties of nanoparticles as compared to respective parent materials makes them ideal candidates to be used for tackling challenges faced in the oil and gas industry. Nanoparticles display excellent performances over conventional materials in aspects such as: (1) mechanical properties, for instance, the controllable mechanical strength; (2) magnetic properties; (3) chemical properties; and (4) thermal properties. This chapter aims to provide the most up-to-date progress of nanomaterial application in unconventional reservoirs, including the heavy oil reservoirs, shale reservoirs, and gas hydrate formations. The detailed aspects include nanocatalysis and nanofluids for heavy oil recovery and upgrading, nanoparticles’ synthetic function with surfactant in shale oil enhanced oil recovery, nanoparticles for fines migration and formation damage control, wellbore strengthening, and the preliminary progress of nanoparticle application for gas hydrate recovery.