Abstract
CO2 injection into tertiary oil reservoirs has been widely accepted as an effective technique for enhanced oil recovery (EOR), and has been used by the oil industry for over 40 years. Concerns over greenhouse gas emissions are leading to the investigation and realisation of its potential as a carbon storage method in recent years. With the right reservoir conditions, injection of CO2 into oil reservoirs can result in incremental oil recovery and permanent storage of CO2 in geological formation. The majority of previous and current CO2 EOR projects use low cost CO2 sources and have good economic returns in terms of high gas utilisation efficiencies (167-227 sm3 CO2/STB oil). The potential of CO2 storage combining EOR is high; approximately 60% injected CO2 can be retained in the reservoir at the CO2 breakthrough if reinjection is not considered. It has been accepted that there is little major technical challenges for CO2 EOR projects, but there are economic constrictions if high cost anthropogenic CO2 (such as from power plant) is used for EOR and storage operations. In this chapter, a general review is given on the CO2 EOR and storage potentials, field screening and economic analysis. A case study for CO2 EOR application in a North Sea field is also presented.
Highlights
Oil reservoirs are appealing as good storage sites since they are known to have geologic seal that retained liquid and gas hydrocarbons for millions of years
There have been over 80 CO2 enhanced oil recovery (EOR) projects in the world; all of them are in onshore operations
It has been accepted that there is little major technical challenges for CO2 EOR projects for onshore operations, but there are economic constrictions if high cost anthropogenic CO2 is used for EOR and storage operations
Summary
Oil reservoirs are appealing as good storage sites since they are known to have geologic seal that retained liquid and gas hydrocarbons for millions of years. CO2 injection into oil reservoirs, leading to enhanced oil recovery (CO2 EOR), gaining a financial return to offset the CO2 capture and storage cost, has been considered as a favourable option for near-term action (Orr Jr, 2004). Given appropriate circumstances, captured CO2 from sources produced by human activities can be competitive for EOR as is demonstrated by the current field project. CO2 has been considered as an effective injectant for EOR due to its high miscibility with oil. Field projects showed that CO2 injection into water flooded oil reservoirs could yield an extra of 4-12% OOIP oil production (ECL Report 2, 2001). The recent increase in the price of crude oil and gas coupled with a stable demand and declining production, has made CO2 EOR and storage a favourable option
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