Complex fluids, colloids and condensed matter

IFPEN uses numerous fluids in its fields of innovation for a variety of applications, ranging from renewable energy production to sustainable mobility. Many of the fluids are complex mixtures and the chemistry of their components (hydrocarbons, alcohols, esters, etc.) varies depending on the target application: combustion, cooling, lubrication, electrical insulation, etc.

The transport of colloidal particles in porous media is relevant to a number of fields, including geosciences and environmental engineering. Particle-matrix interactions can lead to deposit formation and accumulation, potentially damaging the medium and altering its permeability. (...) At IFPEN, the problem was originally studied for oil and gas production, but research has now been extended to include the fields of geothermal energy and geological storage of CO2.

THESIS OF ARIANE SUZZONI

For processes involving gas injection, such as enhanced oil recovery (EORa) and CO2 storage operations, the use of foam makes it easier to control gas mobility. Improving these processes requires

In many geological reservoirs, pore size distribution is highly heterogeneous (from 2 to 50 nm). While the molecular size of the confined fluids is between 0.5 and 10 nm, their interaction forces with