Work

Cost-Effective Strategies for Assessing CO2 Water-Alternating-Gas (WAG) Injection for Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) in a Heterogeneous Reservoir

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: This study evaluates the feasibility of CO2 Water-Alternating-Gas (WAG) injection for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) in a highly heterogeneous reservoir using cost-effective and efficient tools. The Rule of Thumb method was initially used to screen the reservoir, confirming its suitability for CO2-WAG injection. A fluid model was constructed by comparing several component lumping methods, selecting the approach with the least deviation from experimental data to ensure accuracy. The minimum miscibility pressure (MMP), a critical parameter for CO2-EOR, was estimated using three methodologies: 1D simulation based on the slim tube test, semi-empirical analytical correlations, and fluid modeling. These techniques provided complementary insights into the reservoir’s miscibility conditions. The CO2 Prophet software version 1 was employed to history-match production data and evaluate different development strategies. The Kinder Morgan CO2 Scoping Model was used to perform production forecasting and assess the economic viability of implementing CO2-WAG. Quantitative comparisons showed that the CO2 Prophet version 1 model revealed minimal deviations from the history match results: oil production estimates differed by only 3.5%, and water production estimates differed by −4.11%. Cumulative oil recovery was projected to reach approximately 20.26 MMSTB over a 25-year production period. The results indicate that CO2-WAG injection could enhance oil recovery significantly compared to water flooding while maintaining economic feasibility. This study demonstrates the practical integration of analytical tools and inexpensive models to evaluate and optimize CO2-EOR strategies in complex reservoirs. The findings provide a systematic workflow for deploying CO2-WAG in heterogeneous reservoirs, balancing technical and economic considerations.

Source: Water

DOI: 10.3390/w17050651