Research Information System
in: Application of Enhanced Oil Recovery Techniques of Heavy Crudes, Jorge Ancheyta,Mikhail Varfolomeev,Chengdong Yuan, Editor, John Wiley & Sons, West Sussex, UK , London, pp.153-168, 2023
For the entire production life of a reservoir, oil recovery operations can be divided into three phases: primary, secondary, and tertiary. Enhanced oil recovery (EOR) techniques generally include both the secondary and tertiary methods, and it is not restricted to a particular phase defined previously in the producing life of the reservoir. The purpose of EOR is to increase the production from reservoirs that can be, or have been, produced by primary drive. Thermal EOR methods are most widely used for heavy crudes recovery. Generally, thermal EOR methods include steam injection, in situ combustion, and hot water flooding. All these methods elevate the temperature inside the reservoir to reduce oil viscosity. To achieve a high oil recovery, chemical EOR methods are implemented for some heavy oil reservoirs. Gas EOR methods include immiscible and miscible gas injection. There are several possible EOR mechanisms of microbe injection.