Possible Applications of MEOR to the Arab Oil Fields

Abstract

Large quantities of residual oil will remain in the Arab oil reservoirs after the primary recovery and water-flooding stages. Because of the large sizes of the Saudi oil fields (in particular), the amount of the residual oil will be enormous. According to the latest published data, the original oil in-place in Saudi Arabia is about 700 billion barrels. Only around 250 billion barrels, 35% of total oil in-place, can be produced by conventional production methods. More than 90 billion barrels, as much as twice the proven reserve of the U.S. and Canada combined, can be added to the country’s proven reserve if only 20% out of the 450 billion barrels left in-place are produced through enhanced oil recovery methods. Any method that can recover a significant part of this residual oil would be of great importance and should be investigated. Microbial Enhanced Oil Recovery (MEOR) has been recognized as a potentially cost-effective recovery method.This paper is an investigation of the applicability of MEOR for recovering more oil under the Arab oil fields conditions. Based on the analysis of data obtained from more than 300 formations in seven Arab countries (Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Kuwait, Qatar, UAE, Iraq and Syria), the possibility of the application of MEOR to the Arabian area was studied. The basic parameters studied include formation permeability, reservoir pressure and temperature, crude oil viscosity and API gravity, formation connate water saturation and its salinity. It was found that Saudi, Iraqi and Egyptian oil fields can be very good candidates for MEOR processes. Also Qatar, Kuwait and Syria have some potential for MEOR. United Arab Emirates, however, has no potential for MEOR under its reservoir conditions.It is expected that MEOR should recover up to 30% of the residual oil under the Arab reservoir conditions. The actual recovery, however, can only be determined through laboratory and pilot tests under field conditions. A new technology should be developed in order to be able to apply MEOR succesfully.