Nanocatalytic in-situ upgrading is a novel oil recovery method that involves chemical, thermal and miscible processes. In this work the main oil recovery mechanisms of nanocatalytic in-situ upgrading were studied, particularly the ones that promote additional oil production from low matrix permeability blocks. Heavy oil recovery from Silurian dolomite cores was studied using a cylindrical core holder set-up. Fractures in the system were represented by a gap between the core sample and core holder wall. Oil recovery experiments were conducted in batch-mode using hydrogen and a trimetallic nano-catalyst. The cores were fully saturated with heavy-oil and the fractures were filled with hydrogen and vacuum residue with ultra-dispersed nano-catalyst at 300 °C and 1000 psig. The produced oil from the matrix was collected and the recovery factor for each experiment was calculated. Moreover, the residual oil in the core was extracted using a solvent. Both samples (i.e., produced and residual oil) were characterised by laboratory measurements and analytical techniques in order to assess oil quality distribution. Experimental results revealed a significant increment in oil recovery with hydrogen injection. This increment suggests that during nanocatalytic in-situ upgrading oil is produced due to the presence of hydrogen in gas form. Results also demonstrated that, by use of an ultra-dispersed Ni-W-Mo nano-catalyst, the oils contained in both the fracture and matrix, were upgraded. This research fosters the understanding of the main recovery mechanisms from carbonate matrix blocks by use of nanocatalytic in-situ upgrading. This study contributes to better understanding a recovery technique that will unlock heavy-oil resources contained in carbonate rocks.

Heavy oil recovery from matrix blocks of Indiana limestone and Silurian dolomite core samples was studied using a cylindrical core holder set-up. Fractures in the system were represented by a gap between the core sample and core holder wall. Core samples and fractures were respectively saturated with heavy oil and gas. Oil recovery experiments were conducted in batch-mode using two different gases, nitrogen and carbon dioxide, at 1000 psi and various temperatures (200, 250, and 300 °C). N2 was employed as an inert gas to study the effect of temperature in oil production from the cores without affecting its chemical properties. Consequently, CO2 was used to investigate the role of mass transfer between matrix and fracture fluids in oil recovery. The produced oil from the matrix was collected and the recovery factor for each experiment was calculated. Moreover, the remaining oil in the core was extracted. Viscosity determinations and simulated distillations of the two samples, produced oil and remained oil in the core, were carried out in order to assess oil quality distribution. Experimental results revealed that with immiscible gas injection at high temperatures oil segregation occurred in the porous media. Consequently, lighter components of oil were produced while the heavier ones were left behind inside the matrix. Results also demonstrated a relationship between the amount of oil produced and the oil segregation in the porous media. This research provides a systematic analysis to investigate the main recovery mechanisms from carbonate matrix blocks under various hot gas injection scenarios, which is of great interest to determine the most appropriate enhanced recovery method to be applied for heavy oil production from naturally fractured reservoirs.

This work provides options to reduce the number of oil pipeline adverse events caused by human actions, poor performance of facilities, accidents, emergencies, and external events. These alternatives provide useful tools to decision makers to prevent such events and improve the security, integrity and resilience of existing oil and gas transportation infrastructure. This research implements an in-house visualization software that is based on Structured Query Language (SQL), Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and publicly available data. The system stores, sorts, and processes strategic geo-referenced data: pipelines infrastructure, transported volumes, sociodemographic factors, land use, illegal pipeline taps, and area impacted by oil pipelines incidents. By identifying the main factors that could impact the pipeline infrastructure, the system generates several graphical representations to assist in risk analysis. The work also analyses and proposes improved pipeline monitoring systems, emergency responses protocols, and non-technical tools to address operational and safety challenges for oil pipelines near local communities. The results provide valuable information for the formulation of policy and regulations to enhance pipeline safety. This work develops a comprehensive strategy based on data analysis, monitoring systems, emergency response protocols and non-technical tools to assist decision makers to improve operational safety and prevent events that could cause serious damage to local communities.

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Mexico's oil production has been declining for the last decade. Therefore, the country has established strategies to increase oil production including the acquisition of new technology to produce unconventional reservoirs as well as the implementation of new regulations to enhance recovery rates from mature fields and develop the shallow-water and deepwater areas. This paper presents a detailed analysis of Mexico's new hydrocarbons legislation with special focus on the contracting and bidding processes. This research also considers available data to identify the main technical challenges associated with the contractual areas which ultimately may be crucial in increasing oil production. Prospective production from main Mexican reservoirs was evaluated using a probabilistic method based on decline curve analysis (DCA) to forecast Mexico's oil production and its effect on North America oil production outlook. The results of the technical evaluation of the contractual areas along with the analysis of the new policies indicate optimistic scenarios for the development of projects and a potential increase in oil production. These projects will foster offset decline of oil production by attracting experienced companies capable of facing current technical challenges and increasing upstream investment. Furthermore, areas of opportunity in the new regulations were identified to make the project conditions more attractive for companies and government. This study is built upon the exhaustive analysis of the new legislation and characteristics of the contractual areas in the context of the current internal and external factors to forecast Mexico's oil production scenario.