Abstract:
Enhanced oil recovery (EOR) techniques can significantly extend global oil reserves once oil prices are high enough to make these techniques economic. Given a broad consensus that we have entered a period of supply constraints, operators can at last plan on the assumption that the oil price is likely to remain relatively high. This, coupled with the realization that new giant fields are becoming increasingly difficult to find, is creating the conditions for extensive deployment of EOR. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of the nature, status and prospects for EOR technologies. It explains why the average oil recovery factor worldwide is only between 20% and 40%, describes the factors that contribute to these low recoveries and indicates which of those factors EOR techniques can affect. The paper then summarizes the breadth of EOR processes, the history of their application and their current status. It introduces two new EOR technologies that are beginning to be deployed and which look set to enter mainstream application. Examples of existing EOR projects in the mature oil province of the North Sea are discussed. It concludes by summarizing the future opportunities for the development and deployment of EOR.
摘要:
一旦油价高到足以使这些技术经济,增强石油采收率(EOR)技术就可以显着扩展全球石油储量。鉴于我们已经进入供应紧张时期的广泛共识,运营商最终可以在油价可能保持相对较高的假设下进行计划。这个,再加上意识到新的巨型油田越来越难找到,正在为广泛部署EOR创造条件。本文对其性质进行了全面的概述,EOR技术的现状和前景。它解释了为什么全球平均石油采收率只有20%到40%之间,描述了导致这些低回收率的因素,并指出了EOR技术可能影响的因素。然后,本文总结了EOR过程的广度,他们的应用历史和现状。它引入了两种新的EOR技术,这些技术已开始部署,并且看起来已进入主流应用程序。讨论了北海成熟石油省现有EOR项目的示例。最后总结了EOR开发和部署的未来机会。