Tracer technology is a very efficient diagnostic tool in the oil and gas industry to obtain valuable information about reservoirs. The interpretation of tracers that have traversed the reservoir reveals characteristics such as inter-well connections, heterogeneities, and water movements that can be used to improve hydrocarbon recovery efforts. A strong need exists for tracers that can withstand increasingly harsh reservoir conditions such as high pressure, high temperature, high salinity and sour environments. Recent progress in nanotechnology and developments in nanoparticle synthesis and engineering bring possibilities for tracer applications. This paper discusses a unique approach towards unconventional properties shown by nanoparticle tracers.

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