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Abstract

Summary

Non-thermal methods for improving viscous oil production tends to be less energy intensive than the commonly used thermal techniques. Polymer flooding can achieve more favorable mobility ratio, which helps significantly reduce water production and usage. Carbonated water flooding utilizes CO2 for improving oil recovery. Evaluating their beneficial effects on reducing carbon footprint as well as production enhancement is crucial in the current energy transition environment. In this study, we conducted oil displacement experiments to demonstrate the potential of polymer flooding and carbonated water flooding in oil production enhancement. Field scale simulations were performed on a synthetic reservoir model, and the results were then used as inputs for estimating the carbon emissions in different production processes. Coreflooding results showed that polymer flooding remarkably accelerated and increased viscous oil production. Injecting a 20-cp polymer solution for a 560-cp viscous oil achieved close to 22% incremental oil recovery, with significant water cut reduction. Carbonated water flooding for viscous oil production was more favorable than the conventional waterflooding. A carbonated water flooding applied after conventional waterflooding obtained more than 15% incremental oil. Based on the simulation results, polymer flooding process can reduce carbon intensity by 65% to 77% in terms of per barrel of oil production. A noteworthy reduction in water cut and much less requirement of injection water are mainly attributed to the CO2 emission reduction. Injecting carbonated water for viscous oil production also revealed the similar trends in oil production enhancement and carbon emission reduction. More importantly, significant amount of CO2 can be stored in the reservoir formation during the carbonated water injection process. Results of this study demonstrates that both polymer flooding and carbonated water flooding are viable carbon efficient solutions for viscous oil production.

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2023-10-02
2024-10-11
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