Chemical Enhanced Oil Recovery (cEOR) pilot design

Overview

Chemical Enhanced Oil Recovery (cEOR) is a well-known recovery process, widely applicable for light and medium oils, with emerging applicability for heavy oils. Incremental recovery factors between 5 and 20%, increased oil production rates, and lowered water cuts are field-proven features of cEOR processes.

Halliburton has developed an integrated solution offering for cEOR that enables thorough, early determination of its applicability. This offering can provide optimized and field-ready pilot designs in a short time frame. Our methodology is focused on accurate quantification and risk reduction to maximize the likelihood of successful implementation of cEOR in the short and long terms.

Our integrated process aims to quickly and effectively boost the profitability of our clients' field operations.

Many cEOR pilots fail to meet full-field implementation criteria. The following are some issues that cEOR pilots face and our solutions:

• Lack of clear results: Often caused by poor laboratory and simulation work. Our world-class laboratory offerings and rigorous modeling workflows help ensure the best possible pilot planning.
• Cost and time overruns: A result of incomplete understanding of pilot project uncertainties and risks. Our early risk detection and mitigation approach, managed by experienced professionals, prevents cost overruns and speeds up deployment and first oil.
• Inappropriate monitoring and operation: Poorly designed monitoring and field operations can be mitigated by monitoring programs that evaluate pilot success criteria. Halliburton's suite of technologies helps ensure problem-free operation.
• Lack of expertise: Inadequate operator experience on cEOR projects can be overcome by using our experienced network of SMEs.

Case Study

A field had 80% of the hydrocarbon resource still in place, but the current pressure was 1/3 of the original and below the bubble point. There was an urgent need to increase production and also extend reservoir life.

Using our cEOR process, a Net Present Value (NPV) increase of approximately 300% over the base case was demonstrated by implementation of cEOR processes after extending the waterflood life.

Applications

The cEOR method applies to situations unsuitable for other IOR/EOR methods, such as thin reservoirs, depleted reservoirs, reservoirs under bubble point pressure, or deep viscous oil formations. It can reuse waterflooding infrastructure and is often less energy and cost-intensive than full-field steam or gas floods.

Chemical enhanced oil recovery pilot: the five-phases approach

The Halliburton four-phased process includes initial planning, laboratory analysis, reservoir modeling, and optimized subsurface and surface design. These phases enable tailored solutions at any stage of the field's life.

1. A comprehensive reservoir review to evaluate performance and establish the risks for cEOR.

2. Detailed laboratory studies and simulation input data to increase the pilot’s probability of success.

3. Base case and optimized case forecasts for an EOR pilot, including reservoir simulation, nodal analysis, and surface requirements.

4. Analysis of the impact of operational and technical uncertainties on pilot success.

5. “First-cut” economic analysis and forecasts for full-field implementation using smart optimization algorithms and the full suite of Halliburton technologies.