Title: Technical feasibility and application effect of coupled CO₂ sequestration and EOR in tight sandstone oil reservoir

Authors: Changlin Liao; Xinwei Liao; Wanglai Gao; Jing Chen; Huan Wang

Addresses: PetroChina Research Institute of Petroleum Exploration and Development, 102249, China; Petroleum Engineering Department, China University of Petroleum, 269 Changping, Beijing 102249, China ' Petroleum Engineering Department, China University of Petroleum, 269 Changping, Beijing 102249, China ' Petroleum Engineering Department, China University of Petroleum, 269 Changping, Beijing 102249, China ' Petroleum Engineering Department, China University of Petroleum, 269 Changping, Beijing 102249, China ' Petroleum Engineering Department, China University of Petroleum, 269 Changping, Beijing 102249, China

Abstract: This paper focused on the technical researches on CO₂ sequestration and enhancing oil recovery by CO₂ flooding. Experiments and numerical reservoir simulation were conducted to study the technical feasibility and application effect of implementing CO₂ sequestration and EOR in tight sandstone oil reservoirs. Small maximum pore throat radius, inefficient mercury withdrawal and large residual volume in pore together implied that the bad connectivity among pores would result in high percolating resistance in reservoir. Several conclusions were obtained at last - the physical properties of the oil are favourable for conducting CO₂ sequestration and EOR; miscible flooding performs better than immiscible flooding; CO₂ sequestration and EOR are easier to be implemented in the reservoirs with preferable homogeneity. A technology combining WAG with profile modification was adopted to maximise the ability of CO₂ injection and oil-producing for single well so that the benefit of CO₂ sequestration and EOR can be improved more efficiently.

Keywords: CO2 flooding; carbon dioxide; carbon sequestration; enhanced oil recovery; EOR; tight sandstone oil reservoirs; net present value; NPV; global warming; technology; numerical simulation; pore throat radius; mercury withdrawal; residual volume; pore connectivity; percolating resistance.

DOI: 10.1504/IJGW.2016.074954

International Journal of Global Warming, 2016 Vol.9 No.2, pp.177 - 197

Received: 16 Dec 2013
Accepted: 16 Aug 2014
Published online: 27 Feb 2016 *

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