PEP Review 2011-11
ENHANCED OIL RECOVERY (EOR) USING CO2
By
Dipti Dave
(December 2011)
ABSTRACT
The purpose of this review is to identify the economics of an enhanced oil recovery scheme
in an on shore field in west Texas using carbon dioxide for the oil recovery process.
Historically, enhanced oil recovery has been an advanced process to augment oil recovery
beyond secondary recovery which uses water flooding or associated natural gas injection in a
reservoir. Enhanced oil recovery processes use external sources of energy and materials to
recover oil that cannot be extracted economically by conventional means.
© SRI Consulting, IHS Inc.
PEP Review 2011-11
A private report by the
Process Economics
Program
Review No. 2011-11
ENHANCED OIL RECOVERY (EOR) USING CO2
by Dipti Dave
December 2011
Menlo Park, California 94025
SRIC agrees to assign professionally qualified personnel to the preparation of the
Process Economics Program’s reports and will perform the work in conformance with generally
accepted professional standards. No other warranties expressed or implied are made. Because
the reports are of an advisory nature, neither SRIC nor its employees will assume any liability for
the special or consequential damages arising from the Client’s use of the results contained in the
reports. The Client agrees to indemnify, defend, and hold SRIC, its officers, and employees
harmless from any liability to any third party resulting directly or indirectly from the Client’s use of
the reports or other deliverables produced by SRIC pursuant to this agreement.
For detailed marketing data and information, the reader is referred to one of the SRI
Consulting programs specializing in marketing research. THE CHEMICAL ECONOMICS
HANDBOOK Program covers most major chemicals and chemical products produced in the
United States and the WORLD PETROCHEMICALS PROGRAM covers major hydrocarbons and
their derivatives on a worldwide basis. In addition the SRIC DIRECTORY OF CHEMICAL
PRODUCERS services provide detailed lists of chemical producers by company, product, and
plant for the United States, Western Europe, Canada, and East Asia, South America and Mexico.
CONTENTS
BACKGROUND .......................................................................................................... 1
Oil Recovery Techniques ........................................................................................... 3
Primary Recovery ....................................................................................................... 3
Secondary Recovery .................................................................................................. 3
Tertiary Recovery ....................................................................................................... 4
CO2-EOR Presence.................................................................................................... 4
TECHNOLOGY REVIEW ........................................................................................... 6
Thermal ...................................................................................................................... 6
Nonthermal ................................................................................................................. 7
BASIS FOR DESIGN AND EVALUATION ................................................................. 9
PROCESS DESCRIPTION ........................................................................................ 11
PROCESS DISCUSSION .......................................................................................... 11
PRODUCTION ECONOMICS FOR ENHANCED OIL RECOVERY USING CO2 ..... 12
Fixed Capital Costs .................................................................................................... 13
Production Costs ........................................................................................................ 13
SENSITIVITY ANAYLSIS ........................................................................................... 19
CONCLUSION............................................................................................................ 21
REFERENCES ........................................................................................................... 22
© SRI Consulting, IHS Inc.
iii
PEP Review 2011-11
FIGURES
1
An Oil Reservoir Anticline Trap Which Exists Underneath Cap Rock .................. 2
2
Oil in a Reservoir ................................................................................................... 2
3
Typical Oil Field Sequence of Oil Recovery Methods ........................................... 4
4
CO2-Enhanced Oil Recovery Production and Projects in the United States......... 5
5
U.S. Domestic Resource ....................................................................................... 6
6
Average Product Values and Change in Product Values for Different
Scenarios for EOR Using CO2 ($/bbl) ................................................................... 20
7
CO2-EOR Block Flow Diagram .............................................................................. 21
© SRI Consulting, IHS Inc.
iv
PEP Review 2011-11
TABLES
1
Composition of West Texas Crude (SOUR) .......................................................... 1
2
Representative CO2-EOR Projects and Products Rates....................................... 5
3
Basis for Estimates and Evaluations of Enhanced Oil Recovered Using CO2 ..... 10
4
Total Capital for the Enhanced Oil Recovery Using CO2 ...................................... 14
5
Enhanced Oil Recovery Using CO2
Total Capital Investment ........................................................................................ 15
6
Enhanced Oil Recovery Using CO2
Production Costs ................................................................................................... 16
7
Enhanced Oil Recovery Using CO2
Utilities Summary ................................................................................................... 18
8
CO2 Raw Material Price and Product Value .......................................................... 19
9
CO2 Transport Pipeline Length and Product Value ............................................... 19
10
CO2 Injection Well Modification and Product Value .............................................. 20
© SRI Consulting, IHS Inc.
v
PEP Review 2011-11