Wettability Alteration with Silica Aerogel Nanodispersion

This work studies the wettability alteration using nanoporous silica aerogels for enhanced oil recovery. Water wet flat glass and outcrop sandstone are used for this aim. Modified silica aerogels are synthesized with cheap water glass as the precursor, and ambient pressure drying method. Sessile drop method was used to measure the contact angles. Sandstones with 0° contact angle changed to mixed wet with 88° contact angle, and flat glasses with a 30° contact angle change to 70° contact angle. Results show that silica aerogels have a great potential in wettability alteration of reservoir rocks by adsorption and deposition mechanisms.