Field Studies of Effective Enhanced Oil/Gas Recovery Technologies

FEW 061704

Program
This project was funded through DOE's Natural Gas and Oil Technology Partnership Program. The program establishes alliances that combine the resources and experience of the nation's petroleum industry with the capabilities of the national laboratories to expedite research, development, and demonstration of advanced technologies for improved natural gas and oil recovery.

Project Goal
The goal of this project is to review and field test enhanced oil recovery (EOR) technologies offered by various technology providers.

Performer
Idaho National Laboratory (INL)
Idaho Falls, ID

Project Results
This project identified for testing novel EOR technologies that are well-suited to improving recovery from marginal wells.

Benefits
Cost-effective technologies identified in this project are expected to increase production from marginal wells, preventing well abandonment and the attendant loss of oil field infrastructure.

Background
There are thousands of low-productivity marginal wells in the United States at risk of abandonment, potentially leaving huge amounts of oil in the ground. Improving production through remediation is often not a profitable endeavor because of the high costs and low profit margins of the independent operators that produce from these wells. This project is focused on identifying low-cost, highly effective EOR technologies that are well-suited to maintaining production from marginal wells.

Project Summary
A number of EOR technologies were identified to determine their technical and economic advantages over current technologies. The technologies selected will undergo field testing at the Rocky Mountain Oilfield Test Center (RMOTC) near Casper, WY.

Discussions with providers of selected technologies have been held to identify candidate methodologies and equipment to be tested. Once selected, the appropriate equipment will be installed in RMOTC wells, and testing and production monitoring will be conducted. The test results will be summarized and, if positive and approved by DOE, will be published and the technologies commercialized. Technology transfer of the test results will be performed through the Petroleum Technology Transfer Council. Training workshops will be conducted for those interested.

Current Status (November 2005)
EOR technologies are currently being screened for field testing.

Project Start: August 15, 2004
Project End: August 9, 2005

Anticipated DOE Contribution: $185,000
Performer Contribution: $0

Contact Information
NETL - Paul West (paul.west@netl.doe.gov or 918-699-2035)
INL - Bruce Reynolds (reynba@inel.gov or 208-526-1992)