Acknowledgement
Thanks to the EOR team at the Department of Petroleum and Geosystems
Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin
Increas ing Electrolyte Concentration
• L.W. Lake
• G.A. Pope
• C. Huh
• L. Britton
• R. Johns
• M. Delshad
Short Quiz
• Define fractional flow of water
• Define the capillary number
• Define volumetric sweep efficiency and
displacement efficiency
• What do you think is the average amount of oil
left behind after secondary recovery processes,
for example, waterflood?
• What type of EOR are you most interested in?
Chapter 1- Defining EOR
• Overview
• Current status
• Why EOR
• Incremental oil recovery
• Comparative performances
Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) is...
• Oil recovery by the injection of materials
not normally present in the reservoir
• Excludes conventional waterflooding
• Not necessarily "tertiary" recovery
Recovery Mechanisms...
Primary
Recovery
Artificial Lift
Natural Flow
Pump - Gas Lift - Etc.
Conventional
Recovery
Secondary
Recovery
Pressure
Waterflood Maintenance
Water - Gas Reinjection
Tertiary
Recovery
Thermal Chemical Enhanced
Recovery
Solvent Other
Source: Adapted from the Oil & Gas Journal, Apr. 23, 1990
Producing Phases...
Primary Secondary Tertiary
0.10
Oil Rate 0.25
0.10
EL
_ Inj.
P
P Prod.
Lim
Ave. So
Time
EOR Application Summary….
• First deliberate application in the 1950s
• Approximately 10% of US production from EOR
• US accounts for 2/3 of worldwide production
• Chemical projects….
• Very active in the 1980s; significant new interest now
• Least popular EOR today (exc. of China, FSU)
• Mostly polymer because of low cost and simplicity
• Thermal projects…
• Accounts for 60-70% of EOR oil
• Around 60 projects, but declining
• Solvent projects….
• Substantial growth in last 10 years to 60 projects
• Active CO2 projects where CO2 is available
• Synergy opportunity with CO2 sequestration
US EOR Project Comparison
600
Thermal
500 Chemical
Gas
Number of Projects
400 Total
300
200
100
0
1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
Year
(Source: EOR Survey, Oil and Gas Journal, April 21 2008)
Chapter 1- Defining EOR
• Overview
• Current status
• Why EOR
Reserves: What are They?
Petroleum (crude, condensate, gas) recoverable
From known reservoirs
Under prevailing economics
With existing technology
Three categories
Proved (90% certain)
Probable (50%)
Possible (10%)
Present reserves =
Previous reserves – Production + Additions
Reserves Additions
• Discovery of new fields
• Discovery of new reservoirs in
known fields
• Extensions of known fields
• Redefinition of reserves because of
Economics
Extraction technology
The Argument for EOR
• Worldwide consumption increases
steadily (2%/yr)
• Reserves not generally replaced
• Requires discovery of “giant” fields
(100 MM bbls in place)
• Drilling alone
• Requires large capital investment
• Drilling rate inversely correlated with
finding rate
The Argument for EOR (cont.)
• EOR applies to known reservoirs
• No need to find them
• Some infrastructure in place
• Markets available
• Technology is mature and cost
effective
• 65% of oil remains after secondary
recovery
Distribution of Ultimate Recovery
100
Estimated Ultimate Oil Recovery Efficiency %
80
60
40
20
0
ME CIS LatAm Africa Far East Europe AustralAsia Alberta
From Laherrere, 2002
Chapter 1- Defining EOR
• Overview
• Current status
• Why EOR
• Incremental oil recovery
Definition of Incremental Oil...
EOR Operation
A
Oil Production Rate
Incremental EOR D
B
Time
Incremental Oil Recovery (IOR)
Oil (HC) produced in excess of
existing (conventional) operations
Difficulties….
Comingled production
Oil from outside project
Inaccurate decline estimates
IOR
IOR recovery efficiency = 100
OOIP
Decline Curve Analysis
1 dq
Decline rate: a=− [=]time−1
q dt
ξ= t
Cumulative
oil produced:
Np = ∫ q(ξ)dξ
ξ=0
Decline Curve Analysis
Exponential decline:
−at
q = qi e Rate-time
q = qi − aNp Rate-cumulative
Rate-Time...
Rate-Cumulative...
Accelerated Production...
Increased Mobile Oil...
Deaccelerated Production...
IOR Example
Chapter 1- Defining EOR
• Overview
• Current status
• Why EOR
• Incremental oil recovery
• Comparative performances
Chemical EOR Processes...
Process Typical Ultimate Typical Agent
Recovery % OOIP Utilization
Polymer 5-15 1 lb polymer/
inc. bbl
Micellar/ 15-30 15-25 lb surfactant/
polymer inc. bbl
Alkaline/ 15-35 35-45 lb chemical/
surfactant/polymer inc. bbl
Solvent EOR Processes...
Process Typical Ultimate Agent
Recovery % OOIP Utilization
Miscible 10-15 4~10 MCF/inc. bbl
Immiscible 5-10 ~10 MCF/inc. bbl
Thermal Recovery Processes...
Process Typical Ultimate Agent
Recovery % OOIP Utilization
Steam Drive 50-65 ~0.5 bbl/inc. bbl
Cyclic Steam 15-35 ~2 bbl/inc. bbl
Stimulation
SAGD 20-60 ~3 bbl/inc. bbl
Combustion 10-50 10 MCF air/inc. bbl
Various EM Like steam Like steam
Estimated Cost of a Barrel of EOR Injectant...
Water
Air
Hot Water
Steam
Polymers
N 2 and Flue Gas
CO 2
Methane
Alkaline Chemicals
Surfactant Slugs
Liquid Hydrocarbons
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40
Cost (US $/Barrel of Injected Fluid, 2000 psi)
From Taber (1990)
Global Resources, Conventional and
Unconventional, (Billion bbl)
Cumulative Other Extra Exploration
Production Conventional Artic Heavy Potential
OPEC Enhanced Oil Oil Shale
Middle East Deepwater Recovery Extract Totals
Rest of
the World 813 662 378 50 110 510 227 200 660 3660
United States 234 -- 19 8 5 76 -- 500 83 925
Canada 31 -- 7 3 3 6 167 4 15 236
Total 1078 662 404 61 118 592 444 704 758 4821
Source: United States Geological Service, World Petroleum Assessment 2006, CERA,
National Energy Board of Canada
From Jackson (JPT, 2007)
Depth Limitations...
Permeability Guides...
Preferred Oil Viscosity Ranges...
Oil Viscosity - Centipoise at Reservoir Conditions
0.1 1 10 100 1000 10000 100000 1000000
EOR Method
Hydrocarbon- Very
Good
More
Miscible Good Difficult
Nitrogen and Good
More
Flue Gas Difficult
Very More
CO2 Flooding Good
Good
Difficult
Surfactant/ Very
Good Fair Not Feasible
Polymer Difficult
Polymer Good Fair Difficult Not Feasible
Very
Alkaline Good Fair Not Feasible
Difficult
May Not Be
Fire Flood Possible
Good Not Feasible
(Can Be
Steam Drive Waterflooded)
Good
Guideline Summary….
12000
Pressure (psia) 10000 N2
Steam
8000
Combined
CH4 Methods
6000 ?
Solvent Heat
4000
CO2 / Enriched
Gas
2000
Alkaline/
Surfactant/ Thermal
Polymer
0
1 10 100 1000 10000
Viscosity (cp)