Advances in Quantum Dot Applications for the Oil and Gas Industry: Current Trends and Future Directions

Quantum dots (QDs) have captivated widespread attention across various chemical and industrial sectors, with their integration into the oil and gas industry emerging as a focal point. Special attention has been given to carbon quantum dots (CQDs), graphene quantum dots (GQDs), and silicon quantum dots (SiQDs). This heightened interest can be attributed to their inherent advantages, including straightforward synthesis routes, environmental friendliness, and exceptional physical and chemical properties. These attributes, such as high crystallization, excellent dispersibility, low toxicity, and photoluminescent properties, position QDs as promising technologies to enhance various processes within the oil and gas sector. This review is structured into four main sections to comprehensively explore recent advances in QD applications. The first section covers basic aspects of QDs, including their definitions, properties, and synthesis techniques. The second section highlights their diverse applications, such as drilling, formation damage remediation, and improved oil recovery (IOR) and enhanced oil recovery (EOR) technologies. The third section discusses challenges, including toxicity, environmental impacts, and stability. Finally, the fourth section outlines future directions, emerging trends, and the integration of QDs into existing technologies. As the main results, QDs have demonstrated reductions in hydrate formation using concentrations below 0.3 wt % in drilling operations. Their potential to inhibit CaSO4 and BaSO4 scaling has also been documented as well as asphaltene deposition. QDs, as tracers, have helped to establish clear and consistent connections between the injector and producer wells. In EOR applications, QDs have been shown to decrease interfacial tension (IFT) by up to 70% while altering wettability to more favorable water-wet conditions, with contact angle changes from 134° to as low as 61°. These enhancements contribute to increased oil recovery factors, with studies reporting up to a 24% improvement in carbonate reservoirs and up to 18% in sandstone reservoirs. Furthermore, QDs have improved oil mobility, decreased viscosity, and enhanced the stability of Pickering emulsions and foams under harsh reservoir conditions. From the synthesis of current knowledge and the presentation of a roadmap for future studies, this review aims to contribute to the evolution of QDs as transformative elements in the energy sector, enhancing efficiency and sustainability in oil and gas field operations.