EOR Technologies Research Articles

Incentives, Technology, and EOR at Lower Oil Prices

L'influence de l'augmentation des reserves de petrole, due au developpement des techniques de recuperation assistee et a l'incitation fiscale, sur la tresorerie des gouvernements et du secteur public est analysee. L'etude est realisee pour le Nouveau Mexique, l'Oklahoma et les Etats Unis

Experience with CO2 Eor Process in Hungary

In Hungary, the CO2 injection EOR technology began in the mid 1960s. Since then, this method has achieved a wide range of field applications. Its special feature is that there is no miscibility. This article describes two types of field application: using CO2 in sandstone reservoirs and in karstic- limestone ones. The mechanism of displacement in such reservoirs is quite different. This article summarizes the exploitation technology used and its development, field experience and results, considering sandstone and the karstic reservoirs separately.

石油の開発生産技術，特にＥＯＲと海洋石油開発を中心とした第１２回世界石油会議出席報告

石油の開発生産技術，特にＥＯＲと海洋石油開発を中心とした第１２回世界石油会議出席報告

Direct measurements of interactions and viscosity of crude oils in thin films between model clay surfaces

High-resolution measurements have been made of (i) the forces between two molecularly smooth mica surfaces immersed in crude oil (from an Australian reservoir), (ii) the viscosity of the oils in the gap between the two surfaces, and (iii) the interfacial tension of the crude oil—water interface. The results indicate that the interactions are determined by the adsorption of surface-active components (probably high-molecular-weight polymeric or asphaltene compounds) present in small amounts in the oils. This adsorption is slow, taking many hours or days to reach saturation, during which time the repulsive forces between the surfaces increase in range (out to separations of ∼500 Å) similar to that previously encountered in experiments with polymer solutions. At the same time there is an increase in the liquid viscosity close to the surfaces which increases further as more material adsorbs. The adsorption is further correlated with an observed wettability reversal, whereby the initially water-wet mica surface becomes progressively more oil-wet. The adsorbed surface layer appears to be irreversibly adsorbed since it is not displaced by bulk water during a laboratory-simulated microscopic “waterttood.” However, even small amounts of dissolved water in the crude oil have a profound effect on the state of the adsorbed layer and the surface interactions. The results are consistent with many previous observations on various crude oil—rock systems, and it is argued that the observed phenomena and their interpretation may be generally applicable. The findings should have a direct bearing on the theory and practice of EOR technology, and in particular they indicate that pure hydrocarbons such as alkanes are poor models for naturally occurring crude oils.

Research Into Enhanced Oil Recovery Technologies

Introduction Enhanced oil recovery (EO R) from the conventional reservoirs of western Canada, Ontario and eastern Canada onshore could contribute very significantly to Canada's future domestic crude oil supply. However, this potential in excess of 3600 million m3 (21.6 B bbls), is highly dependent on a broad spectrum of economic and technological considerations and constraints which will require the concerted attention of industry, government and research organizations in order for the nation to fully realize the benefits of this vast resource. The following statistics(Table 1) focus on the essential, indeedcritical role that enhanced recovery has and will have to play in the future to maintain Canadian crude production. This is in the face of diminishing exploration returns in western Canada and the uncertainty in timing of the inauguration of frontier production from the Beaufort Sea. Mackenzie Delta, the Arctic Islands, and the East Coast Offshore region. It is estimated that synthetic crude from bitumen and extra heavy oil will be a major if not dominant crude oil supply source in Canada within 20 years. The Alberta Energy Resources Conservation Board estimated that at the end of 1982, emaining established reserves of crude bitumen were 5.2 billion m3 (32.7 B bbls), while synthetic crude oil remaining reserves were 3.9 billion m3 (24.5 B bbls). Estimates of reserves in Alberta's Cretaceous sands are calculated at 186 billion m3 (1,170 B bbls) and 90 billion m3 (566 B bbls) in the Grosmont carbonates, being equivalent in size to nearly half the combined occurrences of conventional oil reserves in the world. In Saskatchewan, the Department of Energy and Mines estimated about 4 billion m3 (25 B bbls) of heavy oil in place(3). The development of enhanced oil recovery processes applicable to thin, unconsolidated sand reservoirs could mean the recovery of about 635 million m3 (4 B bbls) of heavy oil. Also, applying EOR to conventional oilfields could add about 95 million m3 (600 M bbls) to Saskatchewan's established reserves of 70 million m3 (440 M bbls). The potentialfor the development of EOR technologies is clear and compelling. EOR Methods Enhanced oil recovery is here defined to include all recovery techniques other than those which utilize only the natural energy for the reservoir, (known generally as primary techniques(1)). EOR includes infill drilling, waterflooding or other more exotic methods such as thermal, miscible and chemical processes. The increasing emphasis on enhanced oil recovery is evincing itself in research and development of appropriate technologies by producers, institutional and independent research organizations. One of the latter is Amerigo Research and Development Limited. Other research efforts are underway at the Petroleum Research Institute, Alberta Research Council, and several Canadian universities. EOR processes are sensitive both to reservoir conditions and to rock and fluid parameters. Research programs are directed toward identifying suitable locations for tests of laboratory proven EOR processes for technical feasibility and economic viability. Consistent with these objectives, Amerigo has been active in formulating and field testing of chemical compounds.