Mehran University of Engineering and

Technology
Name: Waseem Abass
Roll no: F16PG54
Resented to: Habib U zaman
Date: 25 -7-2020
Subject: Enhanced Oil Recovery
Constraints of Different Enhanced Oil Recovery Methods

1.Thermal Enhanced Oil Recovery:

1.1 In situ combustion
A. Operational parameters are complex and often difficult to control(controlling advance combustion)
B. High temperature required (causing damage to production tubing and equipment like failure of
pumps and valves etc.)
1.2 Steam Injection
1.2.1 Steam Flooding
C. Expensive.
D. Heat losses( heating of injection tubing & burden rock) during Extensive injection.
E. Prevent steam channeling or steam sweep efficiency improves over time.
F. Early steam breakout decrease rate of recoverable oil.
1.2.2 Cyclic Steam Injection
G. Complex
H. Radius of heat zone is insignificant
I. Uneconomical in thin heavy oil
A. Constraints of Different Enhanced Oil Recovery Methods

2.Chemical Injection
2.1. POLYMER FLOODING:
A. Susceptibility of polymer to thermal
B. Bacterial, Chemical and mechanical degradation.
C. Not useful for low permeable Reservoirs
2.2 Surfactant Flooding
D. Ultra low interfacial tension for effective residual oil mobility is complex process
E. Large amount is needed for substantial oil recovery.
F. Additional polymers are required to augment the viscosity of surfactant slug and oil.
2.3 Alkaline Flooding
G. Scale formation is serious issue
H. Unfavorable Fingering
I. Effective volumetric sweep efficiency
2.4 Surfactant Polymers
J. Chemical like brine and additives are incompatible
A. Constraints of Different Enhanced Oil Recovery Methods

2.5 Alkaline surfactant polymer

A. Emulsion Instability
B. Scale formation
C. Chemical separation
3.Gas Injection
3.1 Miscible Gas Injection
D. Expensive(high gas compressibility cost)
E. Unsuccessful untill pressure of injection is not above MMP(Minimum Miscibility pressure)
3.2 Immiscible Gas Injection
F. Early Gas Breakthrough
G. Viscous fingering (Ration of viscosity injected gas to oil triggers this)
H. Poor sweep efficiency.
I. Oil recovery is low in heavy crude oil as compared to TEOR.
A. Constraints of Different Enhanced Oil Recovery Methods

4.Microbial Enhanced Oil Recovery:

A. Complex
B. Depend on bacterial functionality on reservoir chemistry and Isolation
C. Low incremental recovery.
Refrences

1. https://
www.intechopen.com/books/chemical-enhanced-oil-recovery-ceor-a-practical-overview/eor-processes-opport
unities-and-technological-advancements
s
2. https://www.sciencedirect.com/book/9781856178242/working-guide-to-reservoir-engineering