Enhanced oil recovery: potential environmental consequences, reclamation problems and research needs

Journal Article · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1978 · Reclam. Rev.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6164015

Haynes, R J; Hildebrand, S G; Milleman, R E

Enhanced oil recovery (EOR) methods include carbon dioxide injection, chemical injection, and thermal injection (i.e., steam injection or in situ combustion). Use of these techniques could potentially extract as much oil as originally recovered by conventional methods. Potentially important enviromental impacts are loss of vegetation; excessive erosion and sedimentation; subsequent deterioration of surface water quality; pollution of land and surface waters; contamination of groundwater aquifers by injected chemicals, oil, or brine through communication between active wells and abandoned and inadequately plugged wells; and excessive air emissions from thermal operations. For EOR technology to be developed in an environmentally acceptable manner, appropriate monitoring, protection measures, and reclamation strategies, must be an integral part of initial project development.

• OSTI ID: 6164015
• Journal Information: Reclam. Rev.; (United States), Journal Name: Reclam. Rev.; (United States) Vol. 1:3-4; ISSN RERED
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
020900 -- Petroleum-- Environmental Aspects
510500 -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Site Resource & Use Studies-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AQUIFERS
BRINES
CARBON DIOXIDE INJECTION
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COMBUSTION
ENERGY SOURCES
ENHANCED RECOVERY
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
EROSION
FLUID INJECTION
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
IN-SITU COMBUSTION
IN-SITU PROCESSING
LAND POLLUTION
LAND RECLAMATION
MISCIBLE-PHASE DISPLACEMENT
OIL WELLS
OXIDATION
PETROLEUM
PLANTS
POLLUTION
PROCESSING
RECOVERY
SEDIMENTATION
STEAM INJECTION
SURFACE WATERS
THERMAL RECOVERY
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
TOXICITY
WATER POLLUTION
WELLS