In the Dutch sector of the North Sea several relatively small oil deposits are present. Their locations are spread and only few oil fields are being produced. An attempt is made to investigate the feasibility of EOR application i.e. C02 miscible displacement by a commonly avail- able pressurised C02 supply system. This feasibility study is based on and utilises as much as possible past and present data about existing oil fields, C02 availability, compression and distribution pipelines to be installed and injection methods at existing production facilities.
The yearly crude oil production in the Netherlands has been at a level of about 10% of the Dutch national consumption till 1982. In that year the offshore oil production commenced and in 1985 the total onshore and offshore oil production catered for some 25% of the Dutch national oil consumption. The peak production volume at that time reached some 5 million m3 per year. Since then, the total oil production is gradually decreasing, mainly caused by decreasing offshore oil production rate. At present (1993) the total yearly production is about 3 million m3 and is continuously seen to be lowered. (1) Since 1989 the author and others have discussed and deliberated about the viability and feasibility of enhancing the oil recovery. As the offshore oil production facilities are only maximum 12 years in operation now and their capabilities are less and less utilised, it may be worthwhile to optimise the use of these facilities both in the short and long run.
The objective of the present paper is to investigate the benefits and costs of enhanced oil recovery from existing and future offshore oil fields by the application of C02 miscible displacement recovery technique. The use of a common C02 supply system is considered essential for this.
