Modern EOR technologies – the experience of experts in service

The next meeting of the Intellectual Club was held on the topic “Polymer flooding at the Kalamkas field”.

The speaker was Dauyirzhan Dossymbek, the leading geologist Mangistaumunaigas JSC.

The presentation, for the convenience of the audience, was divided into several topics:

• Current technology efficiency

• Economic indicators

• Full-scale implementation and prospects

By revealing these matters, the speaker analyzed an overview of the world market for the tertiary enhanced oil recovery method, shared his experience in the application of polymer flooding in the Kalamkas field, and also spoke about the prospects for tertiary EOR.

– Currently, there are about 400 projects in the world for the use of tertiary EOR, producing a little more than 100 million tons of oil per year, or about 2% of world production; there are about 40 polymer flooding projects, such large projects as: Daqing, Pelican Lake, etc. For example, China is the largest regional market for the polymer flooding segment, accounting for 37.2% of global sales. According to the IEA forecast, after 2025, tertiary EORs begin to grow. Between 2025 and 2040, total production from tertiary EOR will increase from 135 million tons to more than 225 million tons, as a result, they will account for about 4% of world oil production in 2040. In general, the global oil recovery factor varies within 30-35%, while in some countries, for example, in Norway and Saudi Arabia, oil recovery factor reaches an average of 50-60%, respectively, – D. Dauirzhan cited statistics.

The MMG representative noted that almost all types of EOR have been tested in some fields in China, the USA, and other countries where oil is produced: polymer flooding, a combination of polymers, alkali and surfactants, colloidal dispersion gel, CO2 injection and microbiological EOR.

– For the Daqing oil field, the main result since 2014 has been polymer flooding, including ASP technology. Commercialization of ASP began in 2014, and its cost (for some wells) was in the range of $28-50/bbl, which is quite competitive even at current prices. Thus, in aggregate, tertiary methods of enhanced oil recovery provide up to 25% of production at the Daqing oil field. The SACROC oil field, located in the USA, was the first field to successfully test carbon dioxide injection technology in the late 1980s. To date, this method provides up to 15 million tons of oil production in the United States, – the speaker emphasized in his presentation.

By sharing plans for scaling up polymer flooding technology at the Kalamkas field, D. Dauyirzhan gave several options for the development considered within the framework of the new design document, noting the following recommended projects:

– It consists of drilling wells with 200*200m cell compaction and continuation of polymer flooding in pilot areas, – the speaker explained.

Summing up the speech, he said that today in Kazakhstan, at the oil field under consideration, additional oil production from polymer flooding in the amount of 694 thousand tons has been obtained. However, significant efforts will be required to maintain current production levels in the future. EOR, including polymer flooding, definitely has great prospects.

– Volatile oil prices combined with high costs of tertiary EOR are the main barrier to the spread of tertiary EOR. At the next stage of development of tertiary EOR, it is necessary to receive comprehensive support of the state in the form of reduced tax benefits and other measures. It is necessary to localize the entire chain of introduction of tertiary EOR, – concluded the leading geologist of MMG.

For information:

The intellectual club was launched in 2020 with the support of “KazMunayGas” JSC NC. Within the framework of this club, 13 meetings were held with the participation of employees of “KazMunayGas” JSC NC and its subsidiaries: “Ozenmunaigas”, “Embamunaigas” JSC, “Karazhanbasmunai” JSC, “JV Kazgermunai” LLP, “Mangistaumunaigas” JSC, “Kazakhturkmunai” LLP, “Kazakhoil Aktobe” LLP, “Urikhtau Operating” LLP, and “KMG Engineering” LLP.

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