SYNOPSIS

Nowadays, the applications of nanotechnologies in the oil & gas industry range from the upstream sector (reservoir exploration, characterization and production, well drilling and completion) to the downstream sector (processing and refinery). For example, sensors have been proposed for subsurface imaging to enhance reservoir characterization techniques. Nanotechnology can also be useful during production to improve oil recovery through molecular manipulation and modification of interfacial properties. Moreover, increasing environmental awareness calls for more advanced monitoring, waste treatment or recycling, that nanotechnologies and nanomaterials can support in achieving. At present, the number of scientific papers on the subject is low suggesting the need for encouraging the scientific community to work harder on finding solutions within nanoscience and nanotechnology to face the present – and future – challenges of the oil & gas industry. The goal of this session is to give an overview of some applications of nanotechnology in the oil & gas industry as well as fluid treatments for environmental purposes while covering recent research developments by some Italian groups. We wish to highlight that oil consumption has grown by over 30% in the past ten years. New hydrocarbon reserves have been discovered, while the average oil recovery factor is still low. Nanotechnology can hold the key solution to increase hydrocarbon recovery and decrease production costs by reducing some of the problems faced during  field development operations.