Course content

The subject is enhanced oil recovery (EOR) used to improve recovery beyone that expected by pressure depletion. Water injection, hydrocarbon (HC) gas injection, and combined water/gas injection (WAG) are the most common EOR methods used in the industry today. Other EOR methods (typically more expensive and technically more complicated) are non-hydrocarbon (CO2 and N2) injection, polymers, gels, surfactants, microbial, and thermal methods. The course will primarily consider reservoir aspects of EOR methods using HC gas and water injection. Key parameters include microscopic (pore-level) recovery (Buckley-Leverett theory), areal and vertical sweep efficiency. Variations in reservoir rock – i.e. heterogeneities – and fluid property variations can have a strong influence on the success of EOR methods. Therefore we will concentrate on accurate geologic description and its influence on recovery.

Learning outcome

The course should teach how to evaluate EOR methods for a given reservoir.

Learning methods and activities

The course will be given as a seminar with self-study curriculum when fewer than 5 students apply to take the course. Students planning to take the course must give a written request to the teacher for taking the course prior to the semester start. A class project will involve the building of a geologic and numerical model to describe an oil field. Simulations of different depletion and EOR methods will be used to compare alternative development strategies, with optimization of technical issues and study the sensitivity of results to parameters with key uncertainties.

Compulsory assignments

• Exercises

Recommended previous knowledge

MSc degree in Petroleum Engineering or approval by lecturer.

Course materials

Don W. Green & G. Paul Willhite: Enhanced Oil Recovery, SPE Textbook Series volume 6.
Other literature and electronic information will be handed out in connection with the course and lectures.

Credit reductions