Recent Developments and Updated Screening Criteria of Enhanced Oil Recovery Techniques

Abstract

This paper reviews recent developments in enhanced oil recovery (EOR) techniques published in SPE conference proceedings for 2007 to 2009. It also updates the EOR criteria developed by Taber et al. in 1996 based on field applications reported in Oil & Gas Journal and at various SPE conferences. It classifies EOR methods into five main categories: gas-based, water-based, thermal, others, and combination technologies. New developments in EOR techniques, chemicals, and mechanisms are summarized to clarify advances in EOR criteria beyond previous limitations. Reservoirs that had previously been ruled out based on specific reservoir conditions are now candidates under updated EOR screening criteria. To demonstrate this potential, this work has established guidelines for the selection and optimization of chemical EOR methods for a specific reservoir.

Surfactant-Polymer Coreflood Simulation and Uncertainty Analysis Derived from Laboratory Study

“…Enhanced oil recovery (EOR) screening, carried out based on Al-Adasani and Bai [1], revealed that the Tempino and Kenali Asam reservoirs are very suitable for polymer flooding; they were ranked in first place. Austad, et al [2], followed by Samanta [3], have reported that significant improvements can be obtained by co-injecting surfactant and polymer at a rather low chemical concentration.…”

Enhanced oil recovery processes in sandstone reservoirs containing light oil in offshore fields

“…Flue gases injection results in increased volume of being a consequence of CO 2 dissolving and considerably lower viscosity. 2 [11], therefore the criteria assumed when selecting the most appropriate N 2 deliveries should be made. The equipment needed for gas capturing, cleaning and compress-…”

“…The ranges and average values of parameters characterizing oil and reservoir are indicated. It must be born in mind that the presented values are only of informative character and should not be treated as constant threshold values [2].…”

Selection methodology for screening evaluation of EOR methods

“…He also offered technical screening guides for EOR nowadays known as Taber's tables (Taber et al, 1997a,b). Different authors (Parkinson et al, 1991;Cheng, 2001;Morooka et al, 2001;de Cristo, 2003;Wang, 2003;Korb and Nicholson, 2004;Mohaghegh, 2005;Aladasani and Bai, 2010;Fahad et al, 2011;Zerafat et al, 2011;Ivanov and Roslyak, 2012) have given comparison of various methods and screening criteria, relying on engineering constraints, economic and environmental aspects. In particular, Siena et al 's (2015) study, based on the analogues rheological properties of collectors in different geographical areas eastern and western hemispheres, EOR methods were ranked using a hierarchical Bayesian classification by deterministic input information.…”