ENHANCED OIL RECOVERY

PE 510
EOR METHODS

DR. MOHAMED EL-HOUNI

FALL 2013
 Methods to Improve Recovery Efficiency

DISCOVERY

Conventional
Oil Recovery Natural Flow Artificial Lift

Methods to Improve
Recovery Efficiency

Enhanced Oil Recovery Production/Injection Control

Strategic Wellbore Placement

EOR methods

 Waterflooding
 Thermal methods: steam stimulation, steamflooding,
hot water drive, and in- situ combustion
 Chemical methods: polymer, surfactant, caustic, and
micellar/polymer flooding.
 Miscible methods: hydrocarbon gas, CO2, and
nitrogen (flue gas and partial miscible/immiscible gas
injection may also be considered)
 EOR methods

Waterflood Thermal Chemical Miscible gas

Maintains reservoir Reduces Sorw by Reduces Sorw by Reduces Sorw by
pressure & physically steam distillation & lowering water-oil developing miscibility
displaces oil with reduces oil viscosity interfacial tension, & with the oil through a
water moving through increases volumetric vaporizing or
the reservoir from sweep efficiency by condensing gas
injector to producer. reducing the water-oil drive process.
mobility ratio.
Objective of EOR
 The goal of any enhanced oil recovery process is to
mobilize "remaining" oil.
 This is achieved by enhancing oil displacement and
volumetric sweep efficiencies.
 Oil displacement efficiency is improved by reducing oil
viscosity (e.g., thermal floods) or by reducing capillary
forces or interfacial tension (e.g., miscible floods).
 Volumetric sweep efficiency is improved by developing a
more favorable mobility ratio between the injectant and
the remaining oil-in-place (e.g., polymer floods,
wateralternating- gas processes).
 It is important to identify remaining oil and the
mechanisms that are necessary to improve recovery
prior to implementing an EOR process.
Waterflooding
Description
 Waterflooding consists of injecting water into the
reservoir. Most widely used post-primary recovery
method. Water is injected in patterns or along the
periphery of the reservoir.

Mechanisms that Improve Recovery Efficiency

 Water drive

 Increased pressure
Waterflooding
Limitations
 High oil viscosities result in higher mobility
ratios.
 Some heterogeneity is acceptable but avoid
extensive fractures.

Challenges
 Poor compatibility between the injected water
and reservoir may cause formation damage
Waterflooding

Screening Parameters

 Gravity >25ºAPI
 Viscosity <30cp
 Composition not critical
 Oil saturation >10% mobile oil
 Formation type sandstone/carbonate
 Net thickness not critical
 Average permeability not critical
 Transmissibility not critical
 Depth not critical
 Temperature not critical
Chemical oil recovery methods
 To increase ultimate oil production beyond
that achievable with primary and secondary
methods, there are a few steps to undertake.
First, an improvement of the sweep efficiency
must ensue. This is then followed by a
reduction of the amount of residual oil in the
swept zone. Thirdly, there must be an
increase in the displacement efficiency. And
finally, there must be a reduction in the
viscosity of thick oils.
Surfactant / Polymer Flooding
Description
 Surfactant / polymer flooding consists of injecting
slug that contains water, surfactant, electrolyte (salt),
usually a co-solvent (alcohol), followed by polymer-
thickened water.
Mechanisms that Improve Recovery Efficiency
 Interfacial tension reduction (improves displacement
sweep efficiency).
 Mobility control (improves volumetric sweep efficiency).
Surfactant / Polymer Flooding

Limitations
 An areal sweep of more than 50% for
waterflood is desired.
 Relatively homogeneous formation.

 High amounts of anhydrite, gypsum, or clays

are undesirable.
Surfactant / Polymer Flooding
Challenges
 Complex and expensive system.

 Possibility of chromatographic separation of

chemicals.
 High adsorption of surfactant.

 Interactions between surfactant and polymer.

 Degradation of chemicals at high temperature.

Surfactant / Polymer Flooding

Screening Parameters

 Gravity >25ºAPI
 Viscosity <20cp
 Composition light intermediate
 Oil saturation >20% PV
 Formation type sandstone
 Net thickness >10 ft
 Average permeability > 20 md
 Transmissibility not critical
 Depth <8000 ft
 Temperature 225 ºF
 Salinity of formation brine <150,000 ppm TDS
Polymer Flooding
Description
 Polymer augmented waterflooding consists of adding
water soluble polymers to the water before it is
injected into the reservoir.

Mechanisms that Improve Recovery Efficiency

 Mobility control (improves volumetric sweep
efficiency).
Polymer Flooding
Limitations
 High oil viscosities require a higher polymer
concentration.
 Results are normally better if the polymer flood is
started before the water-oil ratio becomes
excessively high.
 Clays increase polymer adsorption.

 Some heterogeneity is acceptable, but avoid

extensive fractures.
Polymer Flooding

Challenges
 Lower injectivity than with water can
adversely affect oil production rates in the
early stages of the polymer flood.
 Xanthan gum polymers cost more, are subject
to microbial degradation, and have a greater
potential for wellbore plugging.
Miscible Gas Flooding
(CO2 Injection)
Description
 CO2 flooding consists of injecting large quantities of
CO2 (15% or more hydrocarbon pore volumes) in the
reservoir to form a miscible flood.

Mechanisms that Improve Recovery Efficiency

 Components from the oil, and, if the pressure is high
enough, develops miscibility to displace oil from the
reservoir.
 Viscosity reduction / oil swelling.
Miscible Gas Flooding
(CO2 Injection)
Limitations
 Very low viscosity of CO2 results in poor
mobility control.
 Availability of CO2

 Surface facilities
Miscible Gas Flooding
(CO2 Injection)
Challenges
 Early breakthrough of CO2 causes problems.
 Corrosion in the producing wells.
 The necessity of separating CO2 from saleable
hydrocarbons. Repressuring of CO2 for
recycling.
 A large requirement of CO2 per incremental
barrel produced.
 Miscible Gas Flooding
(Hydrocarbon Injection)

Description
 Hydrocarbon gas flooding consists of injecting light
hydrocarbons through the reservoir to form a
miscible flood.

Mechanisms that Improve Recovery Efficiency

 Viscosity reduction / oil swelling / condensing or
vaporizing gas drive.
Miscible Gas Flooding
(Hydrocarbon Injection)
Limitations
 Minimum depth is set by the pressure needed to
maintain the generated miscibility. The required
pressure ranges from about 1,200-5000 psi for the
high pressure Gas Drive, depending on the oil.
 A steeply dipping formation is very desirable-
permits gravity stabilization of the displacement that
normally has an unfavorable mobility ratio.
Miscible Gas Flooding
(Hydrocarbon Injection)
Challenges
 Viscous fingering results in poor vertical and
horizontal sweep efficiency.
 Large quantities of expensive products are
required.
 Solvent may be trapped and not recovered.
Nitrogen / Flue Gas Flooding

Description
 Nitrogen or flue gas injection consists of injecting
large quantities of gas that may be miscible or
immiscible depending on the pressure and oil
composition.
 Large volumes may be injected, because of the low
cost.
 Nitrogen or flue gas are also considered use as
chase gases in the hydrocarbon-miscible and CO2
floods.
Nitrogen / Flue Gas Flooding

Mechanisms that Improve Recovery Efficiency

 Vaporizes the lighter components of the crude oil
and generates miscibility if the pressure is high
enough.
 Provides a gas drive where a significant portion of
the reservoir volume is filled with low-cost gases.
Nitrogen / Flue Gas Flooding

Limitations
 Miscibility can only be achieved with light oils
at high pressures; therefore, deep reservoirs
are needed.
 A steeply dipping reservoir is desired to
permit gravity stabilization of the
displacement, which has a very unfavorable
mobility ratio.
Nitrogen / Flue Gas Flooding

Challenges
 Viscous fingering results in poor vertical and
horizontal sweep efficiency.
 Flue gas injection can cause corrosion.

 Non hydrocarbon gases must be separated

from saleable gas.
Thermal (Steamflooding)

Description
 Steamflooding consists of injecting about
80% quality steam to displace oil.
 Normal practice is to precede and
accompany the steam drive by a cyclic
steam simulation of the producing wells
(called Huff and Puff).
Thermal (Steamflooding)
Thermal (Steamflooding)

Mechanisms that Improve Recovery Efficiency

 Viscosity reduction / steam distillation.

 Thermal expansion.

 Supplies pressure to drive oil to the producing

well.
Thermal (Steamflooding)

Limitations
 Application to viscous oil in massive, high
permeability sandstones or unconsolidated sands.
 Oil saturations must be high, and pay zones should
be > 20 feet thick to minimize heat losses to
adjacent formations.
 Steamflooded reservoirs should be as shallow as
possible, because of excessive wellbore heat
losses.
Thermal (Steamflooding)

More Limitations
 Steamflooding is not normally done in
carbonate reservoirs.
 Since about 1/3 of the additional oil recovered
is consumed to generate the required steam,
the cost per incremental barrel of oil is high.
Thermal (Steamflooding)

More Limitations
 A low percentage of water-sensitive clays is
desired for good injectivity.

Challenges
 Adverse mobility ratio and channeling of
steam.
 Thermal (IN SITU COMBUSTION
or "Fireflooding")

 This method is sometimes applied to reservoirs

containing oil too viscous or "heavy" to be produced by
conventional means. Burning some of the oil in situ (in
place), creates a combustion zone that moves through
the formation toward production wells, providing a steam
drive and an intense gas drive for the recovery of oil.