Enhanced Oil Recovery

THERMAL RECOVERY

Ir Putu Suarsana MT. Ph.D

Kapan Saatnya EOR ??
2 Tahap 1-4
1 3

7
6 Tahap 5
5

Tahap 6-7

5 6
1-4 7
 WORK FLOW EOR

Field Screening of EOR Candidate

- REMAINING OIL
- DATA AVAILABILITY
- EOR TYPE SCREENING PROCESS
- SOCIAL ASPECT
- REGULATION (ZERO DISCHARGE)
- PRE-ECONOMIC EVALUATION
GAIN
EOR

PRODUCTION
OTHER FIELD PHASE IN
CANDIDATES
FULL
SCALE

NO

-REPARATION FULL
GGRP & PREPARATION OF YES
POFD SCALE
FACILITY PILOT PILOT (POFD
(WELL & FACILITY.)
RESERVE
STUDY Implem
CALC entasi)

3 YEARS 15 YEARS
 Screening FLUID
Pre-POD SAMPLING
EOR ?
Fluid Analysis
(Lab. Work)
Economic EOR STUDY PVT
Chemical Selection
Evaluation PROJECT Fluid-Fluid comp.
Fluid-Rock Comp.
MANAGEMENT Core Flooding
Process& Slim Tube
Facilities
Design ? PVT
(Region) Modeling
Reservoir
simulation G&G Production
? (Region) Modeling
Analysis 5
Fault Seal
Most EOR projects are complex and require 3-5
years study before field-scale operations
commence
Elements of a Typical EOR Project

Source: Schlumberger
6
With oil prices stabilized at a high level, and
pressure on oil supply, most IOCs have
major EOR R&D and pilot projects
Totals Portfolio of EOR Projects

EXAMPLE

Source: Total
7
As a tried and tested method, steam injection can
significantly prolong the life of shallow fields, as in
Emlichheim, Germany

Emlichheim Field - Germany Steam Injection

(Oil Production, mb per year, 1944 - 2024)
(Schematic representation)
1,4
1,3
Plateau Period 60 Years
1,2
1,1
1,0
0,9
0,8
0,7
0,6
0,5
0,4
0,3
0,2
0,1
0,0 Shallow reservoirs
1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020

Tertiary (Steam Injection) Secondary (Cold Water Injection)

Critical High porosity
Tertiary (Hot Water Injection) Primary Factors sandstone
Source: Wintershall, Booz & Co. analysis 8 Low gravity oil
Thermal methods are most mature and gas methods
have growing importance; chemical EOR
production is almost entirely in China

EOR Methods Worldwide Production from EOR

Classification by Maturity and Technology Deployment Status
Technology Production Number of Projects
Deployment (mbd, 2009)
2.500

Steam
Smart Waterflooding
>100
Gas Injection 2.000

SAGD 1

Polymer 1.500
Pilots Commercial

1.000
>100
Surfactant
Foams
500 <5
In Situ Combustion
Microbial
2 <5
R&D HPAI Limited Application
Maturity 0
3 4
Therma Gas Chemical Others
Chemical Thermal Other Gas l

1) SAGD - Steam-Assisted Gravity Drainage

2) HPAI - High Pressure Air Injection
3) Includes Canada oil sands and Venezuela heavy oil
4) Chemical methods on a field-scale are applied in the Daqing fields in China
Source: Society of Petroleum Engineering, Oil & Gas journal, Booz & Company analysis
9
Enhanced Oil Recovery
GAS INJECTION

Ir Putu Suarsana MT. Ph.D

 Screening FLUID
Pre-POD SAMPLING
EOR ?
Fluid Analysis
(Lab. Work)
Economic EOR STUDY PVT
Chemical Selection
Evaluation PROJECT Fluid-Fluid comp.
Fluid-Rock Comp.
MANAGEMENT Core Flooding
Process& Slim Tube
Facilities
Design ? PVT
(Region) Modeling
Reservoir
simulation G&G Production
? (Region) Modeling
Analysis 12
Fault Seal
 Table 1
EOR Screening Technical Criterias2,3,9
Recommended Range
Properties
N2 CO2 In Situ Combustion Steam Injection
Gravity, API > 35 > 22 10 to 27 8 to 25
Viscosity, cp < 0.4 < 10 < 5,000 <100,000
Not Critical but some
High percentage of light High percentage of intermediate Some asphaltic components to aid
Composition light ends for steam
hydrocarbons hydrocarbons (especially C5 to C12) coke deposition
distillation will help
Oil Saturation, % PV > 40 > 20 > 50 > 40
Sandstone or carbonate with few Sand or sandstone with
Sandstone or carbonate with few Sand or sandstone with high
Type of formation fractures and high permeability high porosity and
fractures and high permeability streaks porosity
streaks permeability
Relatively thin unless formation is Relatively thin unless formation is
Net Thickness > 10 > 20
dipping dipping
Not critical if sufficient injection rate
Average Permeability, mD Not critical > 50 > 200
can be maintained
For miscible displacement, depth must
Depth, ft > 6000 < 11,500 < 5,000
be great enough
Temperature, F Not critical Not Critical > 100 Not Critical

Recommended Range
Properties
Polymer Micellar, ASP, and Alkaline Surfactant Microbial
Gravity, API > 15 > 20 > 20 > 15
< 150 (preferably <100 and
Viscosity, cp < 35 < 100 Not Critical
>10)
Light intermediate which contain
Composition Not Critical Not Critical Not Critical
organic acid to achieve lower IFT
Oil Saturation, % PV > 50 > 35 > 35 > 25
Sandstone preferred but can be
Type of formation Sandstone prefered Sandstone Not Critical
used in carbonate
Net Thickness, ft Not critical Not critical Not critical Not Critical
Average Permeability, mD > 10 > 10 > 40 > 50 md
Depth, ft < 9000 < 9000 < 6000 < 8000
Temperature, F <200 to minimize degradation < 200 < 200 < 160
Waterflooding
Miscible Gas Flooding (CO2 Injection)
CO2 Injection Water Separation and Production Well
Injection Well Injection Storage Facilities
From Pump
Pipeline
or Recycle

4 3 2 1

1 Waterflood Sor 2 Oil 3 CO2 and Water 4 Drive

Bank/Miscible Zone Water
Front
Miscible Gas Flooding (CO2 Injection)

Description

Consists of injecting large quantities of CO2 (15%

or more hydrocarbon pore volumes) in reservoir to
form a miscible flood

Fluid dissolved and mixed with oil

Mechanisms That Improve Recovery Efficiency

CO2 extracts the light-to-intermediate components

from the oil, and, if pressure is high enough,
develops miscibility to displace oil from reservoir
(vaporizing gas drive)

Viscosity reduction / oil swelling

Miscible Gas Flooding (CO2 Injection)
Limitations
Very low viscosity of CO2 results in poor mobility
control
Availability of CO2
Injection is needed in large quantities
Challenges
Early breakthrough of CO2 causes problems
Corrosion in producing wells
Necessity of separating CO2 from saleable
hydrocarbons
Repressuring CO2 for recycling
Large requirement of CO2 per incremental barrel
Miscible Gas Flooding (CO2 Injection)

Screening Parameters
Gravity > 27 API
Viscosity < 10 cp
Composition C5 - C20 (C5 - C12)
Oil saturation > 30% PV
Formation type sandstone / carbonate
Net thickness relatively thin
Average permeability not critical
Transmissibility not critical
Depth > 2,300 feet
Temperature < 250 F
Miscible Gas Flooding
(Hydrocarbon Injection)
HC Gas Injection Water Separation and Production Well
Injection Well Injection Storage Facilities
From Pump
Pipeline
or Recycle

4 3 2 1

2 Oil Bank / 3 HC and Water 4 Drive

1 Waterflood Sor Water
Miscible Front Zone
Miscible Gas Flooding
(Hydrocarbon Injection)

Description

Consists of injecting light hydrocarbons through

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 pressure needed to maintain
generated miscibility
Steeply dipping formation is very desirable - permits
gravity stabilization of displacement that normally has
an unfavorable mobility ratio
Challenges
Viscous fingering results in poor vertical and horizontal
sweep efficiency
Large quantities of expensive products required
Miscible Gas Flooding
(Hydrocarbon Injection)
Screening Parameters
Gravity > 27 API
Viscosity < 10 cp
Composition C2 - C7
Oil saturation > 30% PV
Formation type sandstone / carbonate
Net thickness relatively thin
Average permeability not critical
Transmissibility not critical
Depth > 2,000 feet (LPG)
> 5,000 feet (lean gas)
Temperature > 250F
Nitrogen / Flue Gas Flooding
N2 Gas Injection Water Separation and Production Well
Injection Well Injection Storage Facilities
From Pump
Pipeline
or Plant

4 3 2 1

1 Oil Bank/ N2 and

Waterflood Sor 2 3 4 Drive Water
Miscible Front Water Zone
Nitrogen / Flue Gas Flooding
Description
Consists of injecting large quantities of gas that
may be miscible or immiscible depending on
pressure and oil composition
Large volumes may be injected because of low
cost
Mechanisms That Improve Recovery Efficiency
Vaporizes lighter components of crude oil and
generates miscibility if pressure is high enough
Provides gas drive where significant portion of
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
Steeply dipping reservoir is desired to permit gravity
stabilization of displacement, which has a very
unfavorable mobility ratio
Challenges

Viscous fingering results in poor vertical and horizontal

sweep efficiency

Flue gas injection can cause corrosion

Nitrogen / Flue Gas Flooding

Screening Parameters
Gravity > 24 API (> 35 for nitrogen)
Viscosity < 10 cp
Composition C1 - C7
Oil saturation > 30% PV
Formation type sandstone / carbonate
Net thickness relatively thin (not critical for
pressure maintenance)
Average permeability not critical
Transmissibility not critical
Depth > 4,500 feet
Temperature not critical
Oil Gravity Guides for Enhanced
Oil Recovery Methods

Oil Gravity oAPI

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

N2 & Flue Gas

Hydrocarbon
CO2 - Miscible
Immiscible Gas
Alkaline/Surfactant/Polymer
Polymer Flooding
Gel Treatments
In situ Combustion
Steam Flooding
Mining
 Summary of Screening Criteria for
IOR and EOR Methods

N.C. = Not Critical

*Transmissibility >20 md ft/cp
**Transmissibility > 100 md ft/cp
Gas (Solvents) Injection

Type of Gas (Solvents) Injection:

- Hydrocarbon gases (CH4, C2H6)

- Nitrogen (N2)
- Natural gas mixtures
- Light hydrocarbon liquids
- Carbon dioxide (CO2)
Comparison of Solvents

Selecting an appropriate solvent for a given

reservoir is generally based on:

- Availability and relative cost

- Physical properties and phase behavior data
- Miscibility conditions
- Reservoir characteristics
Comparison of Solvents

At 93C and 3000 psia

Solvent Density, kg/m3 FVF, RCF/SCF Viscosity, Cp

CO2 525 0.0035 0.042
Air 186 0.0064 0.027
Nitrogen 178 0.0064 0.025
Methane 117 0.0056 0.018
Natural gas 173 0.0051 0.02

CO2 has favorable properties and lower MMP

LNG, LPG and condensate liquids are excellent solvents but
are more expensive
Comparison of Solvents
Light component

CO2

CH4

N2
Heavy Intermediate
component component
DK - 45 -
Comparison of Solvents

Among various gases, Carbon dioxide is

preferred, due to:

- Higher viscosity
- Low formation volume factor
- High density
- Low miscibility pressures with reservoir oils
- Easy to handling
- Relatively low cost
DK - 46 -
Gas Injection Options
Reinjection of Reservoir Gas:
The first option to consider in a low permeability
reservoir is reinjection of reservoir gas. This can
only occur in a relatively unproduced, newer
reservoir that originally was nearly saturated with
gas. The gas will have already been produced from
older reservoirs.
If this option is possible, the reservoir pressure is
controlled so as to optimize gas production, gas
recycle, and oil production.
Gas Injection Options
Nitrogen or Air Injection:
If reservoir gas is not available, injecting either
nitrogen or air to increase oil recovery is common.
Nitrogen, extracted from air using membranes or
pressure swing adsorption, is relatively inert because
it contains less than 4 percent oxygen.
It is best used in shallower reservoirs to enhance
production by increasing reservoir pressure.
Produced nitrogen can be recompressed and recycled
so that very little new gas is needed and the
production can continue for several decades.
Gas Injection Options
Nitrogen or Air Injection:
Air is used in deeper reservoirs, temperature (> 150
F) where the air spontaneously reacts with the oil to
form flue gas. The CO2 in the flue gas dissolves in
the oil. In addition, water and light oil evaporate
from the combustion zone. This means that three
mechanisms (pressure maintenance, swelling and
waterflooding by condensed steam) combine to
increase oil recovery.

DK - 49 -
Gas Injection Options
CO2 Sequestration:
When a CO2 pipeline is not nearby but CO2 is
available from plants in a nearly pure form and is
not being sold for another purpose, it can be
injected into light-oil reservoirs where the CO2 and
oil could become miscible.
In the few instances where these conditions exist,
carbon dioxide is the best choice for recovering oil
for decades from a low-permeability, deeper
reservoir where gas will not override the reservoir
fluids.
Miscible (Solvents) Injection
Nitrogen becomes an efficient miscible displacement
only for light oils, temperatures greater than 240 0F (115
0C) and pressures greater than 5,000 psig, where its

density is high enough to extract light-hydrocarbons

from the oil.
Flue-gas works well at lower pressure and temperature,
since it contains around 13% carbon dioxide.
For carbon dioxide, the minimum pressure is 1,070 psig
at 88 0F (31 0C), i.e., when CO2 becomes supercritical
and its gas and liquid are no longer separate phases.
All of these gases become miscible only when their
density is high, generally greater than 0.5 gr/cc. Thus,
they work best at high pressure.
Gas Injection versus Waterflood
The first decision that must be reached is whether to
inject a gas or to either start or continue a waterflood.
The facts are that waterfloods (without surfactants)
leave more oil in the reservoir than gas floods, but
waterfloods can also recover oil faster than gas if the
permeability of the reservoir is high.
Usually, if the permeability of the reservoir is above 50
md, a waterflood will work well, whereas if the
permeability is below 25 md, gas will recover oil faster
than water because more gas can be injected.
In addition, if a waterflood has not been successful
because of poor sweep, a gas flood should be
profitable.
Ternary Equilibrium Diagrams