In enhanced oil recovery

different chemical methods utilization improves hydrocarbon recovery due to their fascinating abilities to alter some critical parameters in porous media

such as mobility control

the interaction between fluid to fluid

and fluid to rock surface. For decades the use of surfactant and polymer flooding has been used as tertiary recovery methods. In the current research

the inclusion of nanomaterials in enhanced oil recovery injection fluids solely or in the presence of other chemicals has got colossal interest. The emphasis of this review is on the applicability of nanofluids in the chemical enhanced oil recovery. The responsible mechanisms are an increment in the viscosity of injection fluid

decrement in oil viscosity

reduction in interfacial and surface tension

and alteration of wettability in the rock formation. In this review

important parameters are presented

which may affect the desired behavior of nanoparticles

and the drawbacks of nanofluid and polymer flooding and the need for a combination of nanoparticles with the polymer are discussed. Due to the lack of literature in defining the mechanism of nanofluid in a reservoir

this paper covers majorly all the previous work done on the application of nanoparticles in chemical enhanced oil recovery at home conditions. Finally

the problems associated with the nano-enhanced oil recovery are outlined

and the research gap is identified

which must be addressed to implement polymeric nanofluids in chemical enhanced oil recovery.