Carbon dioxide flooding: history of world and local investigations

UDK: 622.276.41

DOI: 10.24887/0028-2448-2020-7-100-103

Key words: miscible flooding, CO2-flooding, carbonized water, liquid CO2, facility, oil trim

Authors: M.V. Ryazantsev (RN-BashNIPIneft LLC, RF, Ufa), E.V. Lozin (RN-BashNIPIneft LLC, RF, Ufa)

The paper presents the review of investigations carried out in UfNII-BashNIPIneft in the 1960-1980s on the problem of oil displacement by means of CO2 (CO2 flooding). CO2 flooding belongs to miscible oil displacement methods capable to extract all the oil from the porous-permeable medium. Historically two technologies have been proposed and tested in field conditions: 1) in the form of carbonized water as a displacing agent and 2) in the form of an oil trim (composite oil trims) of liquid carbon dioxide of a certain concentration and size, pushed through the reservoir by water. The first technology is rated as ineffective. Today, the second technology is the best option. The mechanism of action of this technology has been studied. At VNII, BashNIPIneft, and SibNII NP there have been developed methods for calculating technological indicators of field development with CO2 flooding. BashNIPIneft, which had became responsible in the Ministry of Oil and Gas Industry for the CO2 problem, periodically compiled feasibility studies for industrial oil production using carbonized water (1975), later – liquid carbon dioxide (1976-1977) in the fields of the USSR. Technological schemes of CO2 flooding for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) on Abdrakhmanovskaya area of Romashkinskoye field, Chashinskoye, Olkhovskoye, Radaevskoye, Kozlovskoye fields and experimental plots of Sergeevskoye oilfield have been made. Due to the lack of knowledge on CO2 flooding in the local oil industry and, consequently, the lack of technical means for implementing the process, BashNIPIneft specialists have issued proposals for creation of domestic equipment at priority fields. Samples of domestic pumping equipment, pipelines and fittings for operation in CO2 environment have been tested at a test range. Laboratory studies have confirmed that regeneration of CO2 from its mixture with associated petroleum gas is the main technology that meets the requirements of the national economy development. Recommendations to renovate the investigations and industry tests on CO2-fluding in Russian Federation have been given. References 1. Muskat M., Oil Recovery – 100 percent, Industrial&Engineering Chemistry, 1953, V. 45, no. 7, pp. 1401–1405. 2. Lyutin A.V., Serebrennikov S.A., Laboratornye issledovaniya po primeneniyu uglekisloty dlya polnogo udaleniya nefti iz prizaboynoy zony i dlya uvelicheniya nefteotdachi (Laboratory studies on the use of carbon dioxide to completely remove oil from the bottomhole zone and to increase oil recovery), Proceedings of VNII, 1958, V. 15, pp. 23–36. 3. Babalyan G.A., Tumasyan A.B., Panteleev V.G. et al., Primenenie karbonizirovannoy vody dlya uvelicheniya nefteotdachi (The use of carbonated water to increase oil recovery), Moscow: Nedra Publ., 1976, 143 p. 4. Lozin E.V., Effektivnost' dorazrabotki neftyanykh mestorozhdeniy (The effectiveness of further development of oil fields), Ufa: Bashknigoizdat Publ., 1987, 152 p. 5. RD 39-3-69-78. Rukovodstvo po proektirovaniyu i primeneniyu metoda zavodneniya s CO2 (Guidelines for the design and application of CO2 flooding method), Ufa: Publ. of Bashnipineft', 1978, 51 p. 6. Yellig W.F., Metcalfe R.S., Determination and prediction of CO2 minimum miscibility pressures, SPE 7477-PA, 1980. 7. Levi B.I., Shakirov Kh.G., Metodika prognozirovaniya protsessa vytesneniya nefti otorochkami dvuokisi ugleroda i vody (Method for predicting the process of oil displacement by rims of carbon dioxide and water), Ufa: Publ. of Bashnipineft', 28 p. 8. Bennacer K., Enhanced oil recovery and CO2, Ufa: Publ. of Schlumberger, 2006, 43 p.