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Abstract The Minagish Oolite carbonate formation, part of Kuwait's oil fields operated by the Kuwait Oil Company, has been identified as a candidate for polymer flooding due to its low recovery rates (20–30% OOIP) after primary and secondary recovery method, a typical challenge in carbonate reservoirs. However, the effectiveness of polymer floods in harsh reservoir environments is often limited by thermal degradation, mechanical shear instability, and high salinity sensitivity. Therefore, this study evaluates the performance of two polymers, hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (HPAM) and AN125SH, each prepared at a concentration of 1,250 ppm, under high-salinity (250,104 mg/L) and high-temperature (92°C) conditions representative of the Minagish Oolite reservoir. Additionally, it investigates the impact of incorporating silica (SiO2) and alumina (Al2O3) nanoparticles (NPs) at concentrations of 0.05 to 0.075 ppm to improve polymer stability and oil recovery. Eleven polymeric formulations were screened based on thermal, shear, and salinity stability. Of these, three NP-enhanced formulations including F2 (0.05 ppm Al2O3 + HPAM), S2 (0.05 ppm SiO2 + HPAM), and S3 (0.075 ppm SiO2 + HPAM) were selected for dynamic core flooding tests. The results show that HPAM alone achieved 61% OOIP recovery, outperforming water and AN125SH floods by 17% and 8%, respectively. The NP-enhanced polymer solutions improved recovery further: F2 by 4%, S3 by 7%, and S2 by 12% over pure HPAM. These findings demonstrate the synergistic benefits of nanoparticle-assisted polymer flooding in harsh carbonate environments, with SiO2 at 0.05 ppm emerging as the optimal and most effective additive, outperforming other NP blends by up to 8%. This study contributes to existing knowledge by providing experimental validation of the critical role that nanoparticle type, concentration, and formation water compatibility play in the design of effective, field-deployable enhanced oil recovery (EOR) formulations. By quantitatively assessing the performance of nanoparticle-assisted polymer flooding under harsh carbonate reservoir conditions, the research offers valuable insights into how tailored nanoparticle additives can overcome key limitations associated with traditional polymer flooding in carbonate EOR applications.