Enhanced-oil-recovery (EOR) methods have been increasingly positioned into the mainstream of project planning these past years as conventional, highly productive, and large reservoirs have become more difficult to find. As a result, in recent years, various innovative EOR techniques seeking to maximize total reservoir recovery have gained renewed interest and attention. However, despite the wealth of knowledge already available and heavy investments made from a number of operators, it is certain that the potential of EOR solutions has not been fully realized.
One key area that can boost EOR projects’ results and challenge the professionals involved is the pursuit of EOR operational excellence. Although it can be seen as a trivial target, it is in fact a quite complex goal. Besides experienced management, it involves a well-prepared multidisciplinary team in the planning phase, definition, controlling of the contracts, and the safe and precise execution and monitoring of the operation. Integration is key to the implementation of efficient and safe operations with minimization of operational costs. Like a winning World Cup football team, victory will depend as much on a good coach as on well-prepared and integrated players. They have different roles to play during the game, but they all target the same goal.
During the past year and the first quarter of 2014, SPE hosted several events focusing on EOR operations and more than 400 papers have been presented. The topic explored in several of them relates the urgency of achieving EOR operational excellence. The papers selected for this month’s feature also validate and confirm the worldwide focus on improving hydrocarbon recovery through efficient and safe EOR operations. I hope you will enjoy reading these paper highlights and will search for additional interesting contributions that are available at the OnePetro online library.
This Month's Technical Papers
Waterflooding Proves Useful in Deepwater Gulf of Mexico Overpressured Turbidites
Polymer-Flooding Pilot Finds Success in Previously Waterflooded Reservoir
Continuous Seismic Reservoir Monitoring of Thermal Enhanced Oil Recovery
Modeling, Monitoring Aid Fight Against Scale in Alkali/Surfactant/Polymer Floods
Recommended Additional Reading
SPE 165388 Control of Reservoir Heterogeneity in SAGD Bitumen Processes by Terry W. Stone, Schlumberger, et al.
SPE 165240 Optimization of Gas Utilization To Improve Recovery at Hibernia by John J. Lawrence, ExxonMobil, et al.
SPE 165215 Enhanced Heavy-Oil Recovery by In-Situ Carbon Dioxide Generation and Application in China Offshore Oil Field by Xiaofei Jia, CNOOC, et al.
SPE 167347 Use of Electric Downhole Heaters To Improve Production and Recovery of Heavy, Viscous Oil in California and Venezuela by Samuel S. Ojeda, Pentair Thermal Management, et al.
Luciane Bonet-Cunha, SPE, is reservoir engineering manager for Petrobras America in Houston. She has 29 years of experience in applied research and development related to reservoir engineering in exploration and exploitation projects in Brazil, Canada, and the US Gulf of Mexico. A former associate professor of petroleum engineering at the University of Alberta, Canada, Bonet-Cunha has served on several SPE committees. Her employment history also includes 16 years with Petrobras, Brazil. Bonet-Cunha holds a PhD degree in petroleum engineering from The University of Tulsa and currently serves as an editor for SPE Reservoir Evaluation & Engineering, and serves on the SPE Reservoir Description and Dynamics Advisory Committee and on the JPT Editorial Committee.