Selection of effective methods of increasing oil recovery in dealed fields based on retrospective analysis

Abstract

The object of research is methods of increasing oil recovery in «old», depleted oilfields. One of the main tasks of the oil-extracting industry in any country in the world was and still is ensuring the project level of oil production at the maximum possible coefficient of its extraction from the subsoil. In this case it is extremely important to study and use technological methods and means of acquired experience in oilfield development.

The paper considers the historical aspects of the development of stabilization and oil recovery methods from 1770s to the present day on the example of Ukrainian oilfields. In parallel with the history of the implementation of methods, their physical and technological content and conditions of application are discussed. Of all the methods used to increase the level of oil production, the most effective ones, which have found application at certain stages of the Ukrainian oilfields’ development, are considered. This is, first of all, a vacuum process, areal flooding, cyclic flooding, gas and water-gas repression, injection of surfactants, surfactant polymer-containing systems, polymer flooding, horizontal branched drilling. The methods development analysis is considered against the background of their geological and industrial acceptability and obtaining technical and economic effects. Based on the results of the study, a group of methods has been identified. These methods are advised to apply in geological and industrial conditions, similar to those described, which should ensure the expected efficiency. Undoubtedly, along with this, it is advisable to use the methods of mathematical modeling of oilfield development processes. Proposals are formulated on the conditions and principles of applying the methods under consideration in order to improve the systems for the development of oilfields. It has been established that the most acceptable methods of increasing oil recovery in depleted oilfields are the injection of surfactant solutions both independently and together with an aqueous solution of polyacrylamide, creation of gas-water repression and polymer flooding, in which preference is given to AN132SH and AN125SH reagents of FLOPAAM S series from SNF FlOERGEL.