ReviewNanomaterials (Basel, Switzerland)2026
A Review of Nanomaterials in Heavy-Oil Viscosity Reduction: The Transition from Thermal Recovery to Cold Recovery.
Review in Nanomaterials (Basel, Switzerland), 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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10 authors.
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Abstract
Heavy oil and extra-heavy oil represent mobility-limited petroleum resources because supramolecular associations of asphaltenes and resins, together with strong interfacial resistance, generate extremely high apparent viscosity. In recent years, nanotechnology has emerged as a promising approach for viscosity management and enhanced oil recovery (EOR). This review critically examines recent advances in nano-assisted viscosity reduction from a reservoir-operational perspective and organizes the literature into two field-relevant categories: metal-based and non-metal nano-systems. Metal-based nanoparticles (NPs) mainly promote catalytic aquathermolysis and related bond-cleavage and hydrogen-transfer reactions under hydrothermal conditions, enabling partial upgrading and persistent viscosity reduction during thermal recovery. In contrast, non-metal nano-systems-particularly silica- and graphene-oxide-derived materials-primarily operate through interfacial and structural regulation mechanisms at low or moderate temperatures. These effects include wettability alteration, interfacial-film stabilization, modification of asphaltene aggregation behavior, and the formation of dispersed-flow regimes such as Pickering-type emulsions that reduce apparent flow resistance in multiphase systems. Beyond summarizing nanomaterial types, this review emphasizes reservoir-scale considerations governing field applicability, including brine stability, NPs transport and retention in porous media, and formulation compatibility. Comparative analysis highlights the distinct operational windows of thermal catalytic nano-systems and cold-production nano-systems, providing a reservoir-oriented framework for designing nano-assisted viscosity-reduction technologies.
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