Abstract Asphaltene deposition severely impairs hydrocarbon production by reducing reservoir permeability. This study introduces a novel zeolite-zirconia-cerium oxide nanocomposite (ZSM-5:ZrO₂:CeO₂; NCs) to inhibit this deposition in shale formations. A multifaceted experimental approach, integrating ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry, high-pressure interfacial tension (IFT) measurements, atomic force microscopy (AFM), and core flooding experiments, was employed to evaluate the NCs' efficacy. Isotherm analysis revealed monolayer adsorption as the dominant mechanism, following the Langmuir model (R² = 0.9946) with a high capacity of 322.58 mg/g. The NCs significantly reduced the IFT in CO₂-crude oil systems and dramatically minimized surface deposition, evidenced by AFM showing reductions in average roughness (Ra) from 91.16 nm to 12.42 nm. Core flooding tests demonstrated the NCs' practical value, preserving formation permeability by over 35% and reducing impairment by more than 50% by suppressing pore-throat blockage and filtration cake formation. These results confirm that the synthesized NCs are a highly effective, pressure-resilient solution for mitigating asphaltene-induced formation damage and ensuring flow assurance in shale reservoirs.
