Chemical Enhanced Oil Recovery

Crude oil development and production in U.S. oil reservoirs can include up to three distinct phases: primary, secondary, and tertiary (or enhanced) recovery. During primary recovery, the natural pressure of the reservoir or gravity drive oil into the wellbore, combined with artificial lift techniques (such as pumps) which bring the oil to the surface. But only about 10 percent of a reservoir's original oil in place is typically produced during primary recovery. Secondary recovery techniques to the field's productive life generally by injecting water or gas to displace oil and drive it to a production wellbore, resulting in the recovery of 20 to 40 percent of the original oil in place. In the past two decades, major oil companies and research organizations have conducted extensive theoretical and laboratory EOR (enhanced oil recovery) researches, to include validating pilot and field trials relevant to much needed domestic commercial application, while western countries had terminated such endeavours almost completely due to low oil prices. In recent years, oil demand has soared and now these operations have become more desirable. This book is about the recent developments in the area as well as the technology for enhancing oil recovery. The book provides important case studies related to over one hundred EOR pilot and field applications in a variety of oil fields. These case studies focus on practical problems, underlying theoretical and modelling methods, operational parameters (e.g., injected chemical concentration, slug sizes, flooding schemes and well spacing), solutions and sensitivity studies, and performance optimization strategies. The book strikes an ideal balance between theory and practice, and would be invaluable to academicians and oil company practitioners alike. Updated chemical EOR fundamentals providing clear picture of fundamental concepts Practical cases with problems and solutions providing practical analogues and experiences Actual data regarding ranges of operation parameters providing initial design parameters Step-by-step calculation examples providing practical engineers with convenient procedures

This book aims at presenting, describing, and summarizing the latest advances in polymer flooding regarding the chemical synthesis of the EOR agents and the numerical simulation of compositional models in porous media, including a description of the possible applications of nanotechnology acting as a booster of traditional chemical EOR processes. A large part of the world economy depends nowadays on non-renewable energy sources, most of them of fossil origin. Though the search for and the development of newer, greener, and more sustainable sources have been going on for the last decades, humanity is still fossil-fuel dependent. Primary and secondary oil recovery techniques merely produce up to a half of the Original Oil In Place. Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) processes are aimed at further increasing this value. Among these, chemical EOR techniques (including polymer flooding) present a great potential in low- and medium-viscosity oilfields. • Describes recent advances in chemical enhanced oil recovery. • Contains detailed description of polymer flooding and nanotechnology as promising boosting tools for EOR. • Includes both experimental and theoretical studies. About the Authors Patrizio Raffa is Assistant Professor at the University of Groningen. He focuses on design and synthesis of new polymeric materials optimized for industrial applications such as EOR, coatings and smart materials. He (co)authored about 40 articles in peer reviewed journals. Pablo Druetta works as lecturer at the University of Groningen (RUG) and as engineering consultant. He received his Ph.D. from RUG in 2018 and has been teaching at a graduate level for 15 years. His research focus lies on computational fluid dynamics (CFD).

Sustainable world economy requires a steady supply of crude oil without any production constraints. Thus, the ever-increasing energy demand of the entire world can be mostly met through the enhanced production from crude oil from existing reservoirs. With the fact that newer reservoirs with large quantities of crude oil could not be explored at a faster pace, it will be inevitable to produce the crude oil from matured reservoirs at an affordable cost. Among alternate technologies, the chemical enhanced oil recovery (EOR) technique has promising potential to recover residual oil from matured reservoirs being subjected to primary and secondary water flooding operations. Due to pertinent complex phenomena that often have a combinatorial role and influence, the implementation of chemical EOR schemes such as alkali/surfactant/polymer flooding and their combinations necessitates upon a fundamental understanding of the potential mechanisms and their influences upon one another and desired response variables. Addressing these issues, the book attempts to provide useful screening criteria, guidelines, and rules of thumb for the identification of process parametric sets (including reservoir characteristics) and response characteristics (such as IFT, adsorption etc.,) that favor alternate chemical EOR systems. Finally, the book highlights the relevance of nanofluid/nanoparticle for conventional and unconventional reservoirs and serves as a needful resource to understand the emerging oil recovery technology. Overall, the volume will be of greater relevance for practicing engineers and consultants that wish to accelerate on field applications of chemical and nano-fluid EOR systems. Further, to those budding engineers that wish to improvise upon their technical know-how, the book will serve as a much-needed repository.

Chemical Methods, a new release in the Enhanced Oil Recovery series, helps engineers focus on the latest developments in one fast-growing area. Different techniques are described in addition to the latest technologies in data mining and hybrid processes. Beginning with an introduction to chemical concepts and polymer flooding, the book then focuses on more complex content, guiding readers into newer topics involving smart water injection and ionic liquids for EOR. Supported field case studies illustrate a bridge between research and practical application, thus making the book useful for academics and practicing engineers. This series delivers a multi-volume approach that addresses the latest research on various types of EOR. Supported by a full spectrum of contributors, this book gives petroleum engineers and researchers the latest developments and field applications to drive innovation for the future of energy. Presents the latest research and practical applications specific to chemical enhanced oil recovery methods Helps users understand new research on available technology, including chemical flooding specific to unconventional reservoirs and hybrid chemical options Includes additional methods, such as data mining applications and economic and environmental considerations

Commercial application of chemical enhanced oil recovery (cEOR) processes is expected to grow significantly over the next decade. Thus, Chemical Enhanced Oil Recovery (cEOR): A Practical Overview offers key knowledge and understanding of cEOR processes using an evidence-based approach intended for a broad audience ranging from field operators, researchers, to reservoir engineers dealing with the development and planning of cEOR field applications. This book is structured into three sections; the first section surveys overall EOR processes. The second section focuses on cEOR processes, while the final section describes the electrorheology technology. These sections are presented using a practical and realistic approach tailored for readers looking to improve their knowledge and understanding of cEOR processes in a nutshell.

Primer on Enhanced Oil Recovery gives the oil and gas market the introductory information it needs to cover the physical and chemical properties of hydrocarbon reservoir fluids and rock, drilling operations, rock-fluid interactions, recovery methods, and the economy of enhanced oil recovery projects. Beginning with introductory materials on basic physics and oil-rock interaction, the book then progresses into well-known types of EOR, such as gas injection and microbial EOR. Other sections cover hybrid EOR, smart water/low salinity and solar EOR. Worldwide case study examples give engineers the go-to starting point they need to understand the fundamentals of EOR techniques and data. Discusses basic physics and chemistry in oil, oil-rock interaction, variation of oil, and interaction properties with temperature Helps readers understand why and when EOR can be used Includes data on EOR implementation and economics

Hybrid Enhanced Oil Recovery Using Smart Waterflooding explains the latest technologies used in the integration of low-salinity and smart waterflooding in other EOR processes to reduce risks attributed to numerous difficulties in existing technologies, also introducing the synergetic effects. Covering both lab and field work and the challenges ahead, the book delivers a cutting-edge product for today’s reservoir engineers. Explains how smart waterflooding is beneficial to each EOR process, such as miscible, chemical and thermal technologies Discusses the mechanics and modeling involved using geochemistry Provides extensive tools, such as reservoir simulations through experiments and field tests, establishing a bridge between theory and practice

Fundamentals of Enhanced Oil and Gas Recovery from Conventional and Unconventional Reservoirs delivers the proper foundation on all types of currently utilized and upcoming enhanced oil recovery, including methods used in emerging unconventional reservoirs. Going beyond traditional secondary methods, this reference includes advanced water-based EOR methods which are becoming more popular due to CO2 injection methods used in EOR and methods specific to target shale oil and gas activity. Rounding out with a chapter devoted to optimizing the application and economy of EOR methods, the book brings reservoir and petroleum engineers up-to-speed on the latest studies to apply. Enhanced oil recovery continues to grow in technology, and with ongoing unconventional reservoir activity underway, enhanced oil recovery methods of many kinds will continue to gain in studies and scientific advancements. Reservoir engineers currently have multiple outlets to gain knowledge and are in need of one product go-to reference. Explains enhanced oil recovery methods, focusing specifically on those used for unconventional reservoirs Includes real-world case studies and examples to further illustrate points Creates a practical and theoretical foundation with multiple contributors from various backgrounds Includes a full range of the latest and future methods for enhanced oil recovery, including chemical, waterflooding, CO2 injection and thermal