Page 105 - Primer on Enhanced Oil Recovery

Gas flooding
10

Abstract

Undoubtedly, gas injection is one of the oldest methods in Enhanced Oil Recovery and its
use constantly increases. Most of the field implementation of the method relates to the
use of non-hydrocarbon gases carbon dioxide, nitrogen and flue gases.

Chapter Outline

10.1 CO 2 injection 97
10.1.1 Background processes 97
10.1.2 Mechanism of the process 99
10.1.3 Applicability criteria 101
10.1.4 Implemented projects 102
10.1.5 Implementation technology 104
10.2 Hydrocarbon injection 109
10.2.1 Process mechanisms 110
10.2.2 Applicability criteria 114
10.2.3 Implemented projects 115
10.2.4 Implementation technology 115
10.3 Nitrogen and flue gases injection 118
10.3.1 Process mechanisms 119
10.3.2 Applicability criteria 119
10.3.3 Implemented projects 120
10.3.4 Implementation technology 120
Further reading 124

Undoubtedly, gas injection is one of the oldest methods in Enhanced Oil Recovery
and its use constantly increases. Most of the field implementation of the method
relates to the use of non-hydrocarbon gases carbon dioxide, nitrogen and flue
gases.
Mixing displacement by hydrocarbon gases can be divided into three separate
methods: injection of liquefied gas or solvent; injection of enriched gas and injec-
tion of high pressure gas. Field tests and full-scale application have been carried
out with all of them. In order to achieve miscibility with oil of liquefied gas or sol-
vent, enriched gas and high-pressure gas, a sufficiently high pressure is required to
get miscibility. If the reservoir conditions are not favorable for the gas flooding,

Primer on Enhanced Oil Recovery. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-817632-0.00010-4
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