CO2 EOR projects have experienced localized success in the United States due to past investments in CO2 infrastructure made possible by no longer existing government incentives. Many countries mistakenly look at these successful cases, along with the environmental benefit of carbon capture, and embarked on a quest for a CO2 EOR projects prior to securing a CO2 source. This paper discusses the available EOR agents beyond CO2. This paper is based on efforts made to select EOR agents for a Rocky Mountain region reservoir, and uses a 10 MMBBL mechanistic model to assess EOR agents. Sourcing, purchase volumes, costs, infrastructure requirements, and a brief summary of the benefits and challenges are presented for the following EOR technologies: Carbon DioxideEthane + other Hydrocarbon GasesFlue Gas (90% N2, 10% CO2)NitrogenAlkali (different types)Surfactant (different types)Polymer (different types)Combinations of alkali, surfactant, and polymer The logistic considerations identified in the evaluation of the Rocky Mountain region field are universal and can assist EOR agent selection in North America, the Middle East, and anywhere on Earth.
Sabriyah Lower Burgan (SALB) is a multi-billion-barrel reservoir located in north Kuwait with favorable fluid and rock properties, and a strong active aquifer. The presence of the aquifer is advantageous for primary development of the reservoir but presents a challenge for conventional application of chemical EOR (CEOR). SALB has passed multiple stages of a CEOR evaluation process (technical screening, laboratory formulation design, SWCT, pilot design, risk assessment, etc.), and is currently considered for a multi-well CEOR pilot. This study investigates the viability of using sacrificial wells in the management of the lateral aquifer present in the SALB Layered formation, which represents a sought after CEOR target. The objective of these sacrificial wells is to reduce the potential negative impacts of the existing aquifer on commercial CEOR deployment. The adopted approach involved using a history matched field model with EOR parameters calibrated to laboratory results for ASP and CO2 technologies. The multi-well field model was used to evaluate and compare different development scenarios to assess the impact of sacrificial wells. These scenarios were evaluated based on production performance and economics. It was observed that strong aquifer presence complicates both CO2 and ASP project implementation. Challenges due to the aquifer include loss of EOR agents into the water leg, difficulty in accounting for effective pore volume of the project and water encroachment. It is difficult for EOR project economics to compete with an effective aquifer primary development. Sacrificial wells can be used to reduce the strength of the aquifer, potentially improving the effectiveness of the EOR technology. Although the sacrificial wells are unlikely to be economic on their own, they can improve the overall economics of the project. The amount of recovered oil due to EOR deployment is an important parameter to evaluate the economic feasibility of using sacrificial wells. Many reservoirs around the world have strong aquifers, for which conventional reservoir engineering advice has been to avoid EOR application. This paper introduces a novel approach to deal with these strong aquifers by strategically placing wells that can reduce the aquifer's strength, thus making EOR deployment more favorable.
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