Improved oil recovery of high-viscosity oil pools with physicochemical methods and thermal-steam treatments

Abstract

Novel physicochemical technologies have been developed at IPC SB RAS to improve oil recovery from high-viscosity oil pools using thermal-steam and cyclic-steam treatments. The results of laboratory investigations and pilot tests carried out in oil fields of Russia and China are presented. The use of thermotropic inorganic and polymer gets increases coverage by steam injection, decreases water cut of the production well by 3-45%, increases the oil production rate by 11-33% and decreases the fluid production rate by 14-25%. Surfactant-based systems, generating CO2 and alkaline buffer solution in situ, decrease oil viscosity 2-3 times and water cut of the production well by 10-20% and thereby increase the oil production rate by 40% and the fluid production rate by 5-10%. Copyright © 2007, Institut français du pétrole.