Dr. Ir.

Dedy Kristanto, MT
Petroleum Engineering Department
UPN Veteran Yogyakarta

GUIDELINES FOR SELECTING

IOR AND EOR METHODS
IOR AND EOR MAIN OBJECTIVES
Goal of IOR and EOR processes is to mobilize
remaining oil
Achieved by enhancing oil displacement and
volumetric sweep efficiencies
- Oil displacement efficiency is improved by reducing oil
viscosity (e.g., thermal floods) or by reducing capillary
forces or interfacial tension (e.g., miscible floods)
- Volumetric sweep efficiency is improved by developing
more favorable mobility ratio between injectant and
remaining oil-in-place (e.g., polymer floods, WAG
processes)
Important to identify remaining oil and mechanisms
necessary to improve recovery before implementing
IOR and EOR DK - 2 -
Waterflooding

Injection Water Separation and Production Well

Well Injection Storage Facilities
Pump

2 1

1 Oil Zone 2 Injection Water

DK - 3 -
Waterflooding
Description
Most widely used post-primary recovery method
Water injected in patterns or along the periphery
Mechanisms That Improve Recovery Efficiency
Water drive
Limitations
High oil viscosities - higher mobility ratios
Heterogeneity such as stratification, permeability
contrast, and fracturing can reduce sweep
efficiency
Challenges
Poor compatibility between injected water and
reservoir may cause formation damage
Subsurface fluid control to divert injected water and
shut off undesirable produced fluids DK - 4 -
Waterflooding

Screening Parameters
Gravity > 25 API
Viscosity < 30 cp
Composition not critical
Oil saturation > 10% mobile oil
Formation type sandstone / carbonate
Net thickness not critical
Average permeability not critical (usually >10md)
Transmissibility not critical
Depth not critical
Temperature not critical
DK - 5 -
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 DK - 6 -
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

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

DK - 7 -
Miscible Gas Flooding (CO2 Injection)
Limitations
Very low viscosity of CO2 results in poor mobility
control
Availability of CO2
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
produced
DK - 8 -
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
DK - 9 -
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 DK - 10 -
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

DK - 11 -
Miscible Gas Flooding
(Hydrocarbon Injection)
Limitations
Minimum depth is set by pressure needed to maintain
generated miscibility
Ranges from about 1,200 psi for LPG process to 3,000-
5,000 psi for High Pressure Gas Drive, depending on the
oil
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
Solvent may be trapped and not recovered DK - 12 -
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 DK - 13 -
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
DK - 14 -
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
Nitrogen or flue gas are also considered for use as
chase gases in hydrocarbon-miscible and CO2
floods
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
DK - 15 -
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

Non-hydrocarbon gases must be separated from

saleable gas
DK - 16 -
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
DK - 17 -
Surfactant Flooding
Surfactant Injection Water Separation and Production Well
Solution From Well Injection Storage Facilities
Mixing Plant Pump

4 3 2 1

1 Oil Zone Surfactant Polymer Drive Water

2 3 4
Solution
DK - 18 -
Surfactant Flooding
Description

Consists of injecting a slug containing water,

surfactant, electrolyte (salt), usually a co-solvent
(alcohol), and possibly a hydrocarbon (oil), followed
by polymer-thickened water

Mechanisms That Improve Recovery Efficiency

Interfacial tension reduction (improves

displacement sweep efficiency)

Mobility control (improves volumetric sweep

efficiency)

DK - 19 -
Surfactant Flooding
Limitations
Areal sweep 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 narrow
set of conditions
With commercially available surfactants, formation water
chlorides should be < 20,000 ppm and divalent ions (Ca++ and
Mg++) < 500 ppm
Challenges
Complex and expensive
Possibility of chromatographic separation of chemicals
High adsorption of surfactant
Interactions between surfactant and polymer
Degradation of chemicals at high temperature DK - 20 -
Surfactant Flooding
Screening Parameters
Gravity > 25 API
Viscosity < 20 cp
Composition light intermediates
Oil saturation > 20% PV
Formation type sandstone
Net thickness > 10 feet
Average permeability > 20 md
Transmissibility not critical
Depth < 8,000 feet
Temperature < 225 F
Salinity of formation brine < 150,000 ppm TDS
DK - 21 -
Polymer Flooding

Polymer Injection Water Separation and Production

Solution From Well Injection Storage Facilities Well
Mixing Plant Pump

3 2 1

1 Oil Zone 2 Polymer Solution 3 Drive Water

DK - 22 -
Polymer Flooding
Description
Consists of adding water soluble polymers to water before it
is injected in reservoir
Mechanisms That Improve Recovery Efficiency
Mobility control (improves volumetric sweep efficiency)
Limitations
High oil viscosities require higher polymer concentration
Results normally better if polymer flood started before water-
oil ratio becomes excessively high
Clays increase polymer adsorption
Some heterogeneity is acceptable, but avoid extensive
fractures
If fractures are present, crosslinked or gelled polymer
techniques may be applicable
DK - 23 -
Polymer Flooding

Challenges
Lower injectivity than with water can adversely
affect oil production rates in early stages of
polymer flood
Acrylamide-type polymers loose viscosity due to
sheer degradation, or it increases in salinity and
divalent ions
Xanthan gum polymers cost more, are subject to
microbial degradation, and have greater potential
for wellbore plugging

DK - 24 -
Polymer Flooding

Screening Parameters
Gravity > 18 API
Viscosity < 200 cp
Composition not critical
Oil saturation > 10% PV mobile oil
Formation type sandstone / carbonate
Net thickness not critical
Average permeability > 20 md
Transmissibility not critical
Depth < 9,000 feet
Temperature < 225 F
DK - 25 -
Thermal (Steamflooding)
Stack Gas Steam Injection Separation and Production Well
Scrubber Generator Well Storage Facilities

4 3 2 1

Oil and Water Zone Heated Oil Hot Water Steam and
1 2 3 4
Near Original Reservoir Zone Zone Condensed
Temperature Water Zone DK - 26 -
Thermal (Steamflooding)
Description

Consists of injecting 80% quality steam to

displace oil

Normal practice is to precede and accompany

steam drive by cyclic steam stimulation of
producing wells (called huff and puff)

Mechanisms That Improve Recovery Efficiency

Viscosity reduction / steam distillation

Supplies pressure to drive oil to producing well

Challenges
Adverse mobility ratio and channeling of steam
DK - 27 -
Thermal (Steamflooding)
Limitations
Applicable to viscous oils in massive, high permeability
sandstones or unconsolidated sands
Oil saturations must be high and pay zones should be > 20
ft thick to minimize heat losses to adjacent formations
Less viscous crude oils can be steamflooded if they dont
respond to water
Steamflooded reservoirs should be as shallow as possible
because of excessive wellbore heat losses
Not normally done in carbonate reservoirs
Since about 1/3 of additional oil recovered is consumed to
generate required steam, cost per incremental barrel of oil
is high
Low percentage of water-sensitive clays is desired for good
injectivity
DK - 28 -
Thermal (Steamflooding)
Screening Parameters
Gravity < 35 API (10-35 API)
Viscosity > 20 cp (100-5,000 cp)
Composition not critical
Remaining oil > 500 bbl / acre-ft (> 40-
50% PV)
Formation type sandstone
Net thickness > 20 feet
Average permeability > 200 md
Transmissibility > 100 md ft / cp
Depth > 200-5,000 feet
Temperature not critical
DK - 29 -
Depth Limitation for Enhanced
Oil Recovery Methods
Depth (ft)
EOR Method 0 2,000 4,000 6,000 8,000 10,000
Hydrocarbon-
Deep Enough for Required Pressure
Miscible

Nitrogen and
Deep Enough for Required Pressure
Flue Gas

CO2 Flooding Deep Enough for Required Pressure

Surfactant/
Limited by Temperature
Polymer

Polymer Limited by Temperature

Alkaline Preferred Zone High

Consumption

Fire Flood Deep Enough for Required Pressure

Steam Drive Normal Range (Possible)

RREW-4-2-EORMethodsVG1-30 DK - 30 -
Preferred Oil Viscosity Ranges for
Enhanced Oil Recovery Methods
Oil Viscosity - Centipoise at Reservoir Conditions
EOR Method 0.1 1.0 10 100 1000 1,000 100,000 1,000,000
Hydrocarbon-
Very Good Good More Difficult
Miscible
Nitrogen and
Good More Difficult
Flue Gas

CO2 Flooding Very Good Good More Difficult

Surfactant/ Very
Good Fair Difficult Not Feasible
Polymer

Polymer Good Fair Difficult Not Feasible

Alkaline Good Fair Very Not Feasible

Difficult

Fire Flood May Not Be Possible Good Not Feasible

Steam Drive (Can Be Waterflooded) Good

Special Thermal:
Shafts, Fractures, Various Techniques Possible
Drainholes, etc.
Mining and Not
No Established Limits
Extraction Feasible
RREW-4-2-EORMethodsVG1-31
DK - 31 -
Permeability Guides for Enhanced
Oil Recovery Methods
Permeability (millidarcy)
EOR Method 0.1 10 100 1000 10,000
Hydrocarbon-
- Not Critical if Uniform
Miscible
Nitrogen and
- Not Critical if Uniform
Flue Gas

CO2 Flooding - High Enough For Good Injection Rates -

Surfactant/
Preferred Zone
Polymer

Polymer Possible Preferred Zone

Alkaline Preferred Zone

Fire Flood Preferred Zone

Steam Drive Preferred Zone

RREW-4-2-EORMethodsVG1-32

DK - 32 -
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
DK - 33 -
 Summary of Screening Criteria for
IOR and EOR Methods

N.C. = Not Critical

*Transmissibility >20 md ft/cp
**Transmissibility > 100 md ft/cp DK - 34 -