Key words: Bazhenov Formation, thermal-gas treatment, oxygen-containing mixture injection, kerogen, miscible drive, enhanced oil recovery.
In this paper we present new Russian oil-recovery method for exploiting the Bazhenov Formation’s deposits, which is based on the integration of the thermal and gas reservoir treatment. This method is carried out by the injection of the oxygen-containing mixture and its spontaneous exothermic oxidation reactions in situ. Based on the aggregation of long-term research it was established that such complex treatment, firstly, allows to increase dramatically oil recovery from the drained carbonate hydrophobic interlayers due to the effective displacing agent’s generation, and secondly, provides bringing into development the non-drained argillaceous-kerogenic interlayers due to their controlled heating from the drained interlayers, and at last thirdly, provides additional hydrocarbon recovery from the kerogen due to its cracking and pyrolysis. The results of the first phase of field tests in the pilot of the Sredne-Nazymskoye field (Bazhenov Formation) not only proved in principle the possibility of the new technology’s field implementation, but also confirmed main science-based positive effects of the thermal-gas treatment of the Bazhenov Formation’s deposits. It is established that this new technology is able to provide the value of oil recovery an order of magnitude greater than the depletion drive.
