A Feasibility
Study on the Application of γ-Fe2O3 Nanoparticles Coupled with Low-salinity Water
for Enhancing Oil Recovery in Tipam Sandstone Formation of the Hapjan Oil Field
of Upper Assam Basin
Goswami Uttaron and Medhi Nayan
Res. J. Chem. Environ.; Vol. 30(1); 130-139;
doi: https://doi.org/10.25303/301rjce1300139; (2026)
Abstract
It is observed that iron oxide (Fe2O3/Fe3O4) nanoparticles can substantially boost
oil recovery in sandstone reservoirs by altering the rock wettability to a more
water-wet state and decreasing the interfacial tension (IFT) and oil viscosity.
According to recent research, using nanoparticles in conjunction with Low salinity
waterflooding (LSW) can offer advantages from both LSW and nanoparticles. This study
investigates the potential of using γ-Fe2O3 (Iron Oxide) nanoparticles in combination
with LSW to improve oil recovery from the Tipam Sandstone formation of the Hapjan
Oil Field, located in the Upper Assam Basin, India. Certain clay minerals, multivalent
cations and polar compounds are evident in the analysis of the crude oil/brine/rock
(COBR) system of the study area. These elements are necessary to successfully implement
the low-salinity nanofluid Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR).
Moreover, the high acid number (0.86) and resin-asphaltene ratio (25.35) in crude
oil and the occurrence of mica, plagioclase feldspar and meghemite in the reservoir
rock indicate that the area under study is a suitable candidate for applying low-salinity
γ-Fe2O3 nanofluid EOR technique. The results of the study demonstrate that low-salinity
γ-Fe2O3 nanofluid can modify the rock’s wettability to become more water-wet and
reduce the crude oil-nanofluid IFT. Moreover, the stability study shows that the
iron oxide nanoparticles remain stable at specific concentrations in the low salinity
environment. Therefore, using γ-Fe2O3 nanoparticles in combination with LSW could
serve as an effective hybrid EOR technique for the study area.
