BLM proposal on CO2 EOR

Traditional primary and secondary oil production methods typically recover one third of the oil in place in a field. This leaves behind two thirds of the oil as a target for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) techniques. Thermal, chemical, and gas flooding are three major EOR methods which have been developed and utilized for maximizing oil reserves recovery from onshore fields.

EOR is fairly advanced in some regions of the United States. Steam flooding is used to enhance production from many California fields because the oil can be very viscous. CO2 flooding is common in the fields in New Mexico, West Texas, western Oklahoma, and Wyoming because commercial pipelines deliver the CO2 gas to these regions from natural CO2 sources or from natural gas processing plants. CO2 is also available for some fields in Mississippi and Louisiana. EOR operations are not common in most of the rest of the nation because steam is not needed or CO2 is not available. Where CO2 from natural sources is not available nearby, the use of CO2 sequestration from gas processing or other industrial plants may be an alternative source.

Studies conducted by DOE and industry estimate that 55 percent of oil and 33 percent of gas remain stranded offshore Louisiana using traditional primary and secondary recovery practices. Preliminary research suggests that one-tenth to one-third of that stranded resource could be recovered using CO2 EOR technology. In Norway, the target for original oil left behind in place is about 45% and other new offshore projects are attempting further increases in the rate of recovery. Domestically, incentives to spur new technology may encourage additional technologies and recovery efficiencies.

Dept. of the Interior