Enhanced Oil Recovery with CO2 Capture and Sequestration
本文探讨了一项旨在延长一小型油田生产寿命的可行性研究结果，该研究利用意大利附近炼油厂烟道气中捕集的二氧化碳，并通过EOR技术提高采收率。 EOR操作将开采额外储量，同时将注入的CO2储存在油藏中。本文将描述EOR-CO2筛选过程的选择，以及试点项目中适当的上游-下游集成主要要素。 文中还将报道EOR-CO2扩展至其他油田的评估结果，以及其对产油和项目经济的影响。
Abstract
This paper presents the results of a feasibility study aimed at extending the production life of a small oilfield in Italy through EOR (Enhanced Oil Recovery), employing the CO2 captured from the flue gas streams of the refinery nearby. The EOR operation allows the recovery of additional reserves while a consistent amount of the CO2 injected remains permanently stored into the reservoir. The screening process selection for EOR-CO2 and the main elements of the pilot project for the proper upstream-downstream integration will be described. Evaluation of EOR-CO2 extension to other oilfields and its effect on oil production and project’s economics will be reported.
9. Conclusions
- CO2 enhanced oil recovery (EOR) can offer exciting opportunities for both upstream and downstream oil businesses, especially if the refinery is located near operating oil fields. However successful deployment will require interdisciplinary study for secure CO2 sites, based on extensive geological knowledge of formations, efficient capture technologies at refinery sites and transport infrastructure.
- CO2 flooding has the potential to extend the life and increase the recovery factor of depleted or high viscosity fields by 5 to 15% of OOIP. Besides, it is possible to sequester large amount of CO2 that would normally be released into the atmosphere, with undoubted environmental benefits.
- Increasing the “recovery factor‘ boosts reserves even without the discovery of new fields; a one percent increase, only, of the recovery rate can increase reserves of 70 billions barrels (more than 2 years of world oil production, 83.7 Mbpd in 2008, see Ref. 17).
- At present there are no applications of CO2-EOR in Europe, only plans, due mainly to the lack of available CO2 sources at low cost. The introduction of incentive mechanism for the reduction of CO2 emissions, could contribute to boost the application of this technology and accelerate the projects of carbon capture and sequestration (CCS). At the moment market prices for carbon credits due to CO2 sequestration are still uncertain, especially for EOR applications.
- eni has launched a pilot project on CO2 Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) at Armatella field, for increasing heavy crude oil recovery. EOR-CO2 was individuated by simulation modelling as one of the most promising methodologies in the field and selected for the pilot project phase, considering the availability of the gas source at the Gela Refinery nearby.
- Armatella project is of great strategic relevance for eni, both for business sustainability and for the oil reserves growth