Original Oil in Place and Oil Drive

Mechanisms (Oil Recovery)

Dr. Farqad Hadi

Lecture#6
Oil 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
Primary Recovery Mechanisms

• Depletion Drive—Solution Gas Drive •Gas Cap Drive- Expansion of the gas-cap
gas, expansion of the solution gas as it is
liberated
• Water Drive • Gravity Drainage
•Combination Drive
Definition of EOR (Tertiary Recovery)
•Oil Recovery by the injection of materials not normally present in reservoir.
•Excludes conventional water flooding.
•The injected fluids and injection processes supplement the natural energy present in the reservoir to
displace oil to a production well.
•The injected fluids interact with the reservoir rock/oil system to create conditions favorable for oil
recovery
•The interactions are attributable to physical and chemical mechanisms and to the injection or
production of thermal energy.
•Not necessary “tertiary” stage

EOR or IOR?
• In the last decade, improved oil recovery (IOR) has been used interchangeably with EOR or even in
place of it.
• Although there is no formal definition, IOR typically refers to any process or practice that improves oil
recovery.
• IOR therefore includes EOR processes but can also include other practices such as waterflooding,
•

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Main Locations and International Scope of Heavy Oil Activities

Heavy Oil in Place : 4,600 G Oil Shales(D)

700 Gb(15%)
Barrels
Canada 36 % Medium Heavy Oil (A)
1683 360 Gb(8%)
Venezuela 27% 1284
USA 14 % 662
Others 23 % 1027
China
Egypt
Iran
Kazakhstan
Kuwai
Oman 7
Turkey
Tar Sands & Bitumen (C) Extra Heavy Oil (B)
1,940 Gb(42%) 1,600 Gb(35%)

A black viscous mixture of hydrocarbons obtained naturally or as a residue from petroleum

distillation. It is used for road surfacing and roofing. From Satinder et al ???
From Madaoui 2006 11
Tertiary Oil Recovery
Main Locations and International Scope of Heavy Oil Activities

From Chevron 2007 14