Miscible, Polymer and

Thermal Enhanced Oil

Recovery Processes
Instructor: Dr. Maria A. Barrufet
Buenos Aires

8/12/2008

Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR)

Processes
Enhanced oil recovery (EOR)
processes include all methods that
use external sources of energy
and/or materials to recover oil that
cannot be produced, economically
by conventional means.

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Currently Used EOR Processes

Waterflooding
Thermal methods
steam stimulation,
steamflooding,
hot water drive,
in-situ combustion
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Currently Used EOR Processes

Chemical methods
Polymer, surfactant,
Caustic, and micellar/polymer flooding.
Miscible / Immiscible methods
Hydrocarbon gas
CO2, nitrogen, flue gas
Microbial EOR (surfactant/chemical in-situ)
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Waterflooding
Injection
W ell

W ater
Injection
Pum p

Separation and
Storage Facilities

Production W ell

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Oil Zone

Injection W ater

Waterflooding Highlights
Description
Waterflooding consists of injecting
water into the reservoir. Water is
injected in patterns or along the
periphery of the reservoir.
Mechanisms That Improve Recovery
Efficiency
Water drive
Increased pressure
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Waterflooding Highlights
Limitations
High oil viscosities result in high mobility ratios.
Some heterogeneity is acceptable, but avoid
extensive fractures.
Challenges
Poor compatibility between the injected water
and the reservoir may cause formation damage.
Subsurface fluid control to divert injected water
and to shut off undesirable produced fluids.

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Surfactant/Polymer Flooding
Injection
W ell

W ater
Injection
Pum p

Separation and
Storage Facilities

Production W ell

Surfactant
Solution from
Mixing Plant

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Oil Zone

Surfactant

Polym er Solution

Drive W ater

Surfactant/Polymer Flooding
Highlights
Description
Surfactant/polymer flooding consists of
injecting a slug that contains water,
surfactant, electrolyte (salt), usually a cosolvent (alcohol), followed by polymerthickened water.
Mechanisms That Improve Recovery Efficiency
Interfacial tension reduction (improves
displacement sweep efficiency).
Mobility control (improves volumetric sweep
efficiency).
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Surfactant/Polymer Flooding
Highlights
Limitations
An areal sweep of more than 50% for waterflood
is desired.
Relatively homogeneous formation.
High amounts of anhydrite, gypsum, or clays are
undesirable.
Available systems provide optimum behavior
within a narrow set of conditions.
With commercially available surfactants,
formation water chlorides should be <20,000 ppm
and divalent ions (Ca++ and Mg++) <500 ppm.
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Surfactant/Polymer Flooding
Highlights
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.

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Polymer Flooding
In je c tio n
W e ll

W a te r
In je c tio n
Pum p

S e p a ra tio n a n d
S to ra g e F a c ilitie s

P ro d u ctio n W e ll

P o ly m e r
S o lu tion fro m
M ixin g P la n t

O il Z o n e

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P o ly m e r S o lu tio n

D riv e W a te r

12

Polymer Flooding Highlights

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).

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Polymer Flooding Highlights

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. If fractures are
present, the crosslinked or gelled polymer
techniques may be applicable.
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Polymer Flooding Highlights

Challenges
Lower injectivity than with water can
adversely affect oil production rates in the
early stages of the polymer flood.
Acrylamide-type polymers loose viscosity
due to shear degradation, salinity and
divalent ions.
Xanthan gum polymers cost more, are
subject to microbial degradation, and have
a greater potential for wellbore plugging.
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Popular en Argentina
Microbial EOR
Mecanismos
Costo

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Miscible Gas Flooding

(CO2 Injection)
Injectio n
W ell

W ater
In jectio n
P um p

S eparation and
S torag e F acilities

P roductio n W ell

C O 2 Injection
from P ipeline
or R ecycle

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O il Zo n e

O il B an k /
M iscib le F ro nt

C O 2 an d
W ater Zon e

D rive W ater

17

Miscible Gas Flooding

(CO2 Injection) Highlights
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
CO2 extracts the light-to-intermediate
components from the oil, and, if the pressure
is high enough, develops miscibility to
displace oil from the reservoir.
Viscosity reduction / oil swelling.
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Miscible Gas Flooding

(CO2 Injection) Highlights
Limitations
Very low Viscosity of CO2 results in poor
mobility control.
Availability of CO2
Surface Facilities

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Miscible Gas Flooding

(CO2 Injection) Highlights
Challenges
Early breakthrough of CO2 causes problems.
Corrosion in producing wells.
The necessity of separating CO2 from saleable
hydrocarbons. Re-pressuring of CO2 for
recycling.
A large requirement of CO2 per incremental
barrel produced.
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Miscible Gas Flooding

(Hydrocarbon Injection)
Injection
W ell

H C G as
Injection
from Pipeline
or Recycle

W ater
Injection
P um p

S eparation and
Storage Facilities

1
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O il Zone

O il B ank /
M iscib le Front

Production W ell

H C and
W ater Zone

Drive W ater

21

Miscible Gas Flooding

Hydrocarbon Injection Highlights
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.

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Miscible Gas Flooding

Hydrocarbon Injection Highlights
Limitations
Minimum depth is set by the pressure
needed to maintain the generated
miscibility. The required pressure ranges
from about 1,200 psi for the LPG process
to 3,000-5,000 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.
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Miscible Gas Flooding

Hydrocarbon Injection Highlights
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.
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Nitrogen / Flue Gas Flooding

Injection
W ell

W ater
Injection
P um p

S eparation and
S torage Facilities

P roduction W ell

N 2 Injection
from Pipeline
or Recycle

1 O il Zone
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O il B ank /
M iscib le Front

N 2 and
W ater Zone

D rive W ater

25

Nitrogen / Flue Gas Flooding

Highlights
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 for use as
chase gases in hydrocarbon- miscible and CO2
floods.

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Nitrogen / Flue Gas Flooding

Highlights
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.
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Nitrogen / Flue Gas Flooding

Highlights
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.
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Nitrogen / Flue Gas Flooding

Highlights
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.
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Thermal (Steamflooding)

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Steamflooding Highlights

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 stimulation of the producing wells
(called huff and puff).

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Thermal (Steamflooding)
Highlights
Mechanisms That Improve
Recovery Efficiency
Viscosity reduction / steam
distillation.
Thermal expansion.
Supplies pressure to drive oil to the
producing well.
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Thermal (Steamflooding)
Highlights
Limitations
Applicable to viscous oils 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.

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Thermal (Steamflooding)
Highlights
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.
A low percentage of water-sensitive clays is
desired for good injectivity.
Challenges
Adverse mobility ratio and channeling of steam.

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Screening Criteria: Depth

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Screening Criteria: Oil Viscosity

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Screening Criteria: Permeability

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High permeability is usually better.

37

Summary of Screening Criteria

for EOR Methods

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Summary of Screening Criteria

for EOR Methods

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Summary of Screening Criteria for

EOR Methods (cont.)

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Summary of Screening Criteria

for EOR Methods (cont.)

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Effect on Efficiencies of
Various EOR Methods
Method

Displacement
Efficiency

Vertical Sweep
Efficiency

Waterflooding

Maintains reservoir
pressure
Enhanced water drive
displacing oil to
producers

Decreases with
increased
heterogeneity

Dry HC Gas
Injection

Maintains reservoir
pressure

Affected by zonal
pressure
distribution

Oil viscosity
reduction
Reduces pressure
around the wellbore

Limited to nearwellbore
Dissolves plugging
deposits around
wellbore

Cyclic Steam
Injection

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Areal Sweep
Efficiency
Affected by
barriers, baffles,
and boundaries
Poor sweep if
adverse mobility
ratio

Limited to nearwellbore
Provides for higher
injection rates with
subsequent
steamflood
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Effect on Efficiencies of
Various EOR Methods
Method

Displacement
Efficiency

Vertical Sweep
Efficiency

Areal Sweep
Efficiency

Steamflooding

Oil viscosity
reduction
Steam distillation
Pressure drives oil
to producers

Steam injection
can override
because of gravity
segregation

Adverse mobility
ratio

Water
Alternating
Steam Process
(WASP)
Injection

Water injected after

steam causes the
steam zone to
collapse while
tending to underrun
the reservoir

Reduces gravity
override
Reduces vertical
channeling

Improves areal
conformance
Reduces
channeling

In-situ
Combustion

Oil viscosity
reduction
Pressure gradient
drives oil
Upgrades crude

Gravity
segregation
Adverse mobility
ratio

Controlling flame
front is difficult
Adverse mobility
ratio

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Effect on Efficiencies of
Various EOR Methods (cont.)
Method

Displacement
Efficiency

Vertical Sweep
Efficiency

Areal Sweep
Efficiency

Surfactant Flooding

Reduces interfacial
tension
Increases water
wettability
Solubilizes oil
Enhances mobility

Polymer Flooding

Augments waterflood
Increases viscosity of
injected water
Decreases mobility of
injected water

Provides mobility
control
Formation plugging

Provides mobility
control
Viscosity loss from
shear degradation

Miscible Gas
Flooding CO2

Viscosity reduction
Oil swelling
Vaporizing gas
Reduces interfacial
tension

Adverse mobility
ratio. Gravity
segregation. Asphaltene deposition near
injectors
Corrosion and scaling

Adverse mobility ratio

Early breakthrough
and fingering
Increases native
permeability in a
carbonate reservoir

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Improves mobility
ratio
Improves areal
conformance

44

Effect on Efficiencies of
Various EOR Methods (cont.)
Method

Displacement
Efficiency

Vertical Sweep
Efficiency

Areal Sweep
Efficiency

Miscible Gas
Flooding HC
gas

Viscosity reduction
Oil swelling
Condensing/
vaporizing gas
Reduces interfacial
tension

Adverse mobility
ratio
Gravity segregation

Adverse mobility
ratio. Early
breakthrough and
fingering

Nitrogen/Flue Gas
Injection

Vaporizes light oil

components
May be miscible but
mostly used for
pressure maintenance

Adverse mobility
ratio
Gravity segregation

Adverse mobility
ratio. Early
breakthrough and
fingering

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Technical Constraints
CLASSIFICATION OF EOR CONSTRAINTS (I - DOE NIPER - 527)
CLASSIFICATION

EXPLANATION

Mobility Control

Gas channeling related to mobilitv rather than

heterogeneity; breakdown of polymer bank
due to bacterial degradation.

Operations

Problems with oil treating, corrosion, scale,

artificial lift, compression, formation plugging
unrelated to injectant quality.

Reservoir Conditions

Refers to reservoir fluid conditions such as oil

saturation, thickness of oil column, reservoir
drive mechanism, etc. As defined, reservoir
conditions are a subset of reservoir
description.

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Technical Constraints
CLASSIFICATION OF EOR CONSTRAINTS (I - DOE NIPER - 527)
CLASSIFICATION

EXPLANATION

Reservoir Description

Refers to rock related description such as

depositional environment, rock composition,
faulting, heterogeneity, continuity, etc.

Reservoir Heterogeneity

Areal or vertical permeability variations, faults,

directional flow trends, depositional
environments, etc.

Process Design

Inadequate or incomplete investigation of

different areas known to be important in the

EOR processes.

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Effect on Efficiencies of
Various EOR Methods
Method

Displacement
Efficiency

Vertical
Sweep
Efficiency

Areal Sweep
Efficiency

Water
Alternating Gas
(WAG) Injection

Decreases mobility
of injected gas
Maintains reservoir
pressure

Reduced recovery
can result from
gravity
segregation

Improves areal
conformance
Reduces
channeling

N/A

Seals reservoir
conduits between
injectors and
producers
Seals watered-out
and high
permeability
zones

Seals reservoir
conduits between
injectors and
producers
Seals watered-out
and high
permeability
zones

Microbial EOR

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Constraints for EOR

Technologies
Gas EOR
Reservoir heterogeneity
Mobility control and reservoir conformance
Incomplete mixing
Lack of predictive capability
Poor injectivity
Corrosion problems with CO2

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Constraints for EOR

Technologies
Surfactant Flooding
Reservoir heterogeneity
Excessive chemical loss
Coherence, stability and cost-effectiveness of
surfactant slugs
Limited to reservoir salinity <20% NaCI
Limited to reservoir temperature <200oF
Limited to permeability> 100 md
Polymer propagation
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Constraints for EOR

Technologies
Alkaline Flooding
Limited range of applicable salinity
High chemical consumption
Brine incompatibility - precipitation

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Constraints for EOR

Technologies
Reservoir Characterization
The complexity of the rock and fluid distributions
even in the simplest reservoirs
The inadequate amount of detailed information
from even the most ambitiously sampled
reservoir
Scaling of properties from core or smaller scale
to interwell scale
Difficulties in interpreting seismic data in terms
of rock and fluid properties
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Constraints for EOR

Technologies
Thermal EOR
Lower crude oil prices due to gravity, sulfur and
heavy metal content
Large front end investments and delayed responses
Absence of cost-effective technology to upgrade
low-quality, low-gravity crude into saleable products
Absence of cost effective technology that permits
the use of low-grade fuel such as coal, petroleum
coke, high sulfur crude oil and brackish water to
generate steam without violating the environmental
regulations
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Technical Constraints
CLASSIFICATION OF EOR CONSTRAINTS (I - DOE NIPER - 527)
CLASSIFICATION

EXPLANATION

Chemical Loss

Loss of injected fluid due to chemical,

mechanical, or microbial degradation;
chemical loss due to adsorption, ion
exchange, or entrapment.

Downhole Completion

Completion techniques; equipment;

Production problems unrelated to corrosion,
scale, or artificial lift.

Facility Design

Surface injection or production facilities.

Gravity Segregation

Gravity override in Steam; potential may

exist for override in Situ or gas injection
projects.

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Technical Constraints
CLASSIFICATION OF EOR CONSTRAINTS (I - DOE NIPER - 527)
CLASSIFICATION

EXPLANATION

Injectivity

Process specific to gas injection projects.

Low polymer injectivity in chemical projects
was considered inherent to the polymer
process..

Injection Control

Formation pressure parting; injected fluid flow

out of intended zone; inadequate monitoring
of injection.

Injectant Quality

Steam quality at sandface; injection well

plugging related to poor mixing (polymer)
or injection system contaminants
(rust, lubricants).

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