Patent ID: 9708896
Date: 2017-07-18
CPC Classifications: E21B

Claim:
1. A method of recovering a hydrocarbon material, the method comprising: providing amphiphilic nanoparticles comprising a carbon core in a carrier fluid to form a suspension, each amphiphilic nanoparticle comprising a base portion, hydrophobic groups attached to a first side of the base portion, and hydrophilic groups comprising anionic functional groups or cationic functional groups attached to a second side of the base portion; contacting a subterranean formation with the suspension to form an emulsion stabilized by the amphiphilic nanoparticles; after introducing the suspension into the subterranean formation and while the suspension is in the subterranean formation, modifying a pH of the suspension, wherein modifying the pH of the suspension comprises: removing hydrocarbons from the emulsion stabilized by the amphiphilic nanoparticles.