What is Enhanced Oil Recovery?

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Enhanced oil recovery (EOR), also known as “tertiary recovery,” is a process for extracting oil that has not already been retrieved through the primary or secondary oil recovery techniques.Although the primary and secondary recovery techniques rely on the pressure differential between the surface and the underground well, enhanced oil recovery functions by altering the chemical composition of the oil itself in order to make it easier to extract.

Definition

Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) is a process that involves altering the chemical composition of oil to make it easier to extract, specifically targeting oil that cannot be retrieved using primary or secondary recovery techniques.

Origin

The concept of Enhanced Oil Recovery originated in the mid-20th century as oil demand increased and technology advanced. The earliest EOR techniques included thermal recovery and chemical flooding methods.

Categories and Features

Enhanced Oil Recovery is mainly categorized into three types: thermal recovery, chemical flooding, and gas injection. Thermal recovery involves injecting steam or hot water to reduce oil viscosity; chemical flooding uses chemicals to alter the surface tension of oil; gas injection increases reservoir pressure by injecting gases. Each method has its pros and cons: thermal recovery is suitable for heavy oil, chemical flooding is costly, and gas injection is ideal for high-pressure reservoirs.

Case Studies

A typical case is the heavy oil fields in California, USA, where steam drive technology successfully increased recovery rates. Another example is the Daqing oil field in China, which significantly improved recovery rates using polymer flooding technology. These cases demonstrate the effectiveness of EOR techniques under different geological conditions.

Common Issues

Common issues investors face when applying EOR techniques include high costs and environmental impacts. Misunderstanding the conditions suitable for EOR can lead to unnecessary investment losses. Understanding the applicability and economics of different EOR methods is crucial.

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