Feasibility of Advanced CO2 Injection and Well Pattern Adjustment to Improve Oil Recovery and CO2 Storage in Tight-Oil Reservoirs

Abstract

Global tight-oil reserves are abundant, but the depletion development of numerous tight-oil reservoirs remains unsatisfactory. CO2 injection development represents a significant method of reservoir production, potentially facilitating enhanced oil recovery (EOR) alongside CO2 storage. Currently, limited research exists on advanced CO2 injection and well pattern adjustment aimed at improving the oil recovery and CO2 storage within tight-oil reservoirs. This paper focuses on the examination of tight oil within the Ordos Basin. Through the employment of slim-tube experiments, long-core displacement experiments, and reservoir numerical simulations, the near-miscible pressure range and minimum miscible pressure (MMP) for the target block were ascertained. The viability of EOR and CO2 sequestration via advanced CO2 injection was elucidated, establishing well pattern adjustment methodologies to ameliorate CO2 storage and enhance oil recovery. Simultaneously, the impacts of the injection volume and bottom-hole pressure on the development of advanced CO2 injection were explored in further detail. The experimental results indicate that the near-miscible pressure range of the CO2–crude oil in the study area is from 15.33 to 18.47 MPa, with an MMP of 18.47 MPa, achievable under reservoir pressure conditions. Compared to continuous CO2 injection, advanced CO2 injection can more effectively facilitate EOR and achieve CO2 sequestration, with the recovery and CO2 sequestration rates increasing by 4.83% and 2.29%, respectively. Through numerical simulation, the optimal injection volume for advanced CO2 injection was determined to be 0.04 PV, and the most favorable bottom-hole flowing pressure was identified as 10 MPa. By transitioning from a square well pattern to either a five-point well pattern or a row well pattern, the CO2 storage ratio significantly improved, and the gas–oil ratio of the production wells also decreased. Well pattern adjustment effectively supplements the formation energy, extends the stable production lives of production wells, and increases both the sweep efficiency and oil recovery. This study provides theoretical support and serves as a reference for CO2 injection development in tight-oil reservoirs.

Research and Applications of New Fracturing Technology in Low-Abundance and Greater-Depth Well LN-1 Reservoirs

“…Since the 1970s, a series of studies have been carried out at home and abroad for low-porosity, low-permeability, low-pressure, and low-abundance oil reservoirs, and so far, it has been integrated into a variety of technical directions, including carbon dioxide and natural gas injection (used to increase reservoir pressure and facilitate crude oil flow) [1,2], microbial-enhanced oil recovery (employed to improve reservoir conditions and increase abundance) [3][4][5], as well as horizontal well drilling and multi-well development (utilized to expand contact area) [6,7]. Compared with the above stimulation technology, fracturing technology has the advantages of simple construction, strong effectiveness, prominent pertinence, and good controllability.…”