(132f) Results of Latest U.S. Department of Energy Funded Chemical Enhanced Oil Recovery Projects

This presentation reports on U.S. Department of Energy sponsored research leading to improved understanding of chemical methods for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) and mobility studies for cold, heavy oils reservoirs.

 The improvement in mobility control of heavy oil examines polymer flooding and strategic use of gels to provide a more efficient sweep of North Slope heavy-oil reservoirs. The limits of applying polymer flood for heavy viscous oil were re-examined and redefined. New polymers for effective flooding of viscous oil were tested and new mechanisms for displacement by polymer solutions were proposed. Finally, novel methods for using polymer gels during recovery of unconventional viscous oils were examined.

Advancements in improved understanding of how chemical EOR works in laboratory and in the field include characterization and test of current and next generation of high performance surfactants for improved chemical flooding technology, reservoir characterization and geologic modeling role in implementation of Alkaline-Surfactant-Polymer (ASP) flooding technology and design of efficient chemical formulations for chemical flooding processes that are necessary for independent oil producers.

The results show that only a synergistic approach between chemical EOR, reservoir characterization, modeling, formation evaluation and reservoir management can lead to increased recovery factors.