Enhanced oil recovery

The enhanced oil recovery methods:

• the thermal method uses steam injection to heat the oil, fluidifying it and facilitating its production,
• the chemical recovery uses viscosifiers and/or surfactants,
• CO₂ injection is emerging as an option that could simultaneously increase field recovery and enable carbon dioxide storage as part of the drive to combat climate change.

IFP Energies nouvelles has joined forces with Solvay and its Beicip-Franlab subsidiary to launch a joint offer in the field of chemical Enhanced Oil Recovery The Chemical EOR Alliance. This partnership led to the signature of two contracts relating to the study of chemical EOR pilots, in South America and Europe. R&D efforts are mainly focusing on the development of methodologies to select chemical additives for a given oil field.
>> Chemical EOR Alliance website: http://ceor-alliance.com

In this context, IFP Energies nouvelles has begun a reflection process to define an HTE methodology (High-throughput Experimentation) aimed at reducing the number of tests while at the same time conducting sensitivity analyses. This would also help improve prediction of the behavior of complex molecules.

Research conducted at IFP Energies nouvelles also aims to reduce the water footprint of the oil industry, since enhanced recovery uses both water resources and chemical additives. A good knowledge of the physicochemical mechanisms, the products injected and their evolution in porous media is essential for water cycle management.

IFP Energies nouvelles is working on the modeling of heavy oil recovery by steam injection. For example, the Hangingstone project, conducted in partnership with CGGVeritas and completed in 2010, demonstrated the possibility of monitoring the evolution of the steam chamber in a heavy oil reservoir using seismic data.

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+ Industrial development > Improvement of recovery

Links
>> Chemical EOR Alliance website