Mechanisms of oil displacement by carbon dioxide

Conference · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1974 · Soc. Pet. Eng. AIME, Pap.; (United States)

OSTI ID:7019439

Holm, L M; Josendal, V A

CO/sub 2/ can enhance the recovery of oil from porous rock by (1) solution gas drive, (2) swelling oil and reducing its viscosity, and (3) miscible effects. The most efficient use of carbon dioxide as an oil recovery agent is obtained at flooding pressures where miscible type displacement is achieved.The extraction of hydrocarbons (C/sub 3/ to C/sub 30/) from the crude oil in place by CO/sub 2/ at these pressures promotes a displacement efficiency which approaches 100%. This high displacement efficiency can be obtained at flooding temperatures below 200/sup 0/F and pressures below 3,000 psi with any crude oil containing appreciable hydrocarbons in the gasoline-light gas-oil range. Also, the process is applicable to waterflooded reservoirs which have been depleted of their gas and LPG components. The presence of methane in the injected CO/sub 2/ or in the reservoir oil reduces the overall recovery efficiency of the displacement process. A simple correlation is presented to determine the optimum displacement pressure for CO/sub 2/ floods.

• Research Organization: Union Oil Co California
• OSTI ID: 7019439
• Report Number(s): CONF-7404143-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Soc. Pet. Eng. AIME, Pap.; (United States) Journal Volume: SPE-4736
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON DIOXIDE
CARBON DIOXIDE INJECTION
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
ENERGY SOURCES
ENHANCED RECOVERY
FLUID INJECTION
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
KINETICS
MISCIBLE-PHASE DISPLACEMENT
OIL WELLS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PETROLEUM
RECOVERY
STIMULATION
WELL STIMULATION
WELLS