An overview on synthesis procedures of nanoparticles applied to enhanced oil recovery

Current technologies have not been able to completely remove all the oil from reservoirs, which are often abandoned with a considerable amount of remaining oil in place. To improve the extraction of oil from reservoirs, nanotechnology has recently gained an important role in the enhanced oil recovery, since nanoparticles have unique characteristics that can improve the efficiency of oil recovery. This study reviews articles published in this field during the past 5 years, highlighting the most important characteristics of nanoparticles for applications in oil recovery concerning different synthesis methods used for their preparation to the efficiency of oil recovery.