28-29 January 2003 - Improved Oil Recovery, Aberdeen (IQPC)

David Hughes (david.hughes@senergyltd.com) of RML (http://www.senergyltd.com) gives a personal overview of this conference organised by IQPC.

Around 50 delegates, mainly from the UK and Norway but with representation from the Middle East and the Far East also, met in Aberdeen to discuss the latest developments in IOR, with particular reference to the North Sea.  In a two day programme, representatives of NPD and the DTI kicked proceedings off with government perspectives.  Screening techniques and technology advances were presented by ECL Technology, INGEN and RF-Rogaland Research.  An overview of WAG was presented by the University of Bergen, and experience with real life WAG projects was presented by BP (Magnus and Ula) and TFEE (Alwyn North).  Advances in 4D and high resolution seismic, and developments in well design were presented by Statoil.  An innovative project to introduce a CO₂ supply infrastructure into the North Sea (CENS) was presented by INCO₂.  Other techniques were not forgotten with presentations on foam (University of Bergen), MEOR (RML) and Brent depressurisation (Shell).

Both governments have the objective of achieving an average oil recovery factor across all fields of 50% STOIIP.  Norway also has a stretch target of 55% in the longer term.  Approximately 50% remaining at abandonment represents a big target for IOR techniques and could be a better source of new reserves than exploration.  A plea was made for both potential sources of additional reserves to be evaluated and risked on an equivalent basis.  It was also clear that there is a window of opportunity for IOR in the North Sea which has begun, and will start to close in around 10 years.

It was clear that there has been a large amount of success using IOR techniques (excluding EOR techniques).  4D seismic has enabled flood fronts (both water and gas movement) to be visualised and this has contributed significantly to improved reservoir management and the selection of infill locations.  High resolution seismic has enabled smaller and smaller potential infill targets to be identified, and advances in drilling techniques and in well design (horizontal, multi-lateral, smart) has enabled these reserves to be recovered.

On the EOR side of the equation only WAG has made a significant contribution.  In all cases this has proved to be technically successful, but only came about in the first place because of synergies (e.g. government restriction on rate of gas extraction, decommissioned gas export pipeline, no market for WOS gas).  Where there is a route to market for hydrocarbon gas, gas injection is unlikely to be economic.  Much of the success was due to ensuring a high level of surveillance (frequent well testing, PLTs etc.), coupled with good static and dynamic models. Government commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions could mean that it will become economic to introduce a CO₂ supply network to the North Sea with the prospect of WAG using CO₂ becoming widespread.  CO₂ injection does, however, have downsides (e.g. acid corrosion, no blowdown phase).

Of the other EOR techniques, foam (to restrict gas mobility) and microbial have found some success.  Polymer and surfactants seem not to have found a place.  Engineered depressurisation has been found to be very successful in Brent and is likely to be repeated in Statfjord.

To encourage more emphasis on EOR the time may now be right to separate the programmes of research etc. on IOR and EOR.  The subjects were merged around 15 years ago because there seemed to be little prospect for economic EOR, but a separate focus now on EOR may help to more fully realise the potential that these processes have to target most of the 50% remaining oil.

The role of the tax regime was raised, but it was not clear that this was affecting IOR disproportionately, although it might be shortening the window of opportunity.

There were structured discussions on making the business case for IOR projects and on whether the vision of CO₂ being used in a large number of fields is realistic.  Both of these resulted in lively feedback sessions at the end of the deliberations.

This was an enjoyable conference which I am sure met the aspirations of most delegates.

(click image for larger view)

Delegates at the IQPC IOR conference