Influence of fractal surface roughness on nanoparticle fluids driven spontaneous imbibition and enhanced oil recovery: A microfluidic study

Authors

  • Jiangtao Zheng State Key Laboratory for Fine Exploration and Intelligent Development of Coal Resources, China University of Mining and Technology, Beijing 100083, P. R. China; School of Mechanics and Civil Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Beijing 100083, P. R. China
  • Tian Tian School of Mechanics and Civil Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Beijing 100083, P. R. China
  • Xianzheng Bao School of Mechanics and Civil Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Beijing 100083, P. R. China
  • Wenbo Gong College of Safety and Ocean Engineering, China University of Petroleum, Beijing 102249, P. R. China
  • Jianchao Cai State Key Laboratory of Petroleum Resources and Engineering, China University of Petroleum, Beijing 102249, P. R. China
  • Wenhai Lei Manchester Centre for Nonlinear Dynamics, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL, UK (Email: leiwenhai12@gmail.com)

Abstract

Although nanoparticle fluids outperform conventional surfactants in spontaneous imbibition related oil recovery, the specific role of pore surface roughness remains elusive. This study investigates the impact of fractal roughness on spontaneous imbibition-driven displacement through microfluidic experiments, utilizing Koch-curve-based channels of varying geometric complexity. By tracking main meniscus retreat and analyzing corner or f ilm flow, we quantitatively compare the oil recovery efficiency of nanoparticle fluid versus surfactant solution. Experimental results demonstrate that nanoparticle fluid consistently outperformed surfactant solution in oil recovery, with this advantage becoming more pronounced as surface roughness increases. Visualization reveals that nanoparticles promote oil detachment by accelerating corner flow and facilitating wetting-film propagation along rough walls. Based on these insights, a roughness-informed analytical framework is developed to predict nanoparticle fluid enhanced recovery. This work provides pore-scale insights and a theoretical framework for evaluating nanoparticle fluid-enhanced oil recovery strategies in rough and heterogeneous unconventional reservoirs.

Document Type: Original article

Cited as: Zheng, J., Tian, T., Bao, X., Gong, W., Cai, J., Lei, W. Influence of fractal surface roughness on nanoparticle fluids driven spontaneous imbibition and enhanced oil recovery: A microfluidic study. Capillarity, 2026, 19(1): 15-25. https://doi.org/10.46690/capi.2026.04.02

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.46690/capi.2026.04.02

Keywords:

Pore-scale, surface roughness, nanoparticle fluids, precursor wetting film

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Published

2026-03-16

How to Cite

Zheng, J., Tian, T., Bao, X., Gong, W., Cai, J., & Lei, W. (2026). Influence of fractal surface roughness on nanoparticle fluids driven spontaneous imbibition and enhanced oil recovery: A microfluidic study. Capillarity, 19(1), 15–25. https://doi.org/10.46690/capi.2026.04.02

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Vol. 19 No. 1 (2026): April (In Progress)

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