Abstract
High oil prices and concerns about future oil supply are leading to a renewed emphasis on Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR), a group of technologies which can significantly increase the recovery factor of oil reservoirs. Some of these EOR technologies are currently producing substantial incremental oil; others have not yet made a commercial impact. As all EOR processes are reservoir- and reservoir fluid-specific, it is necessary to identify the appropriate EOR technology for use in a reservoir, design the project to achieve the required economic incremental recovery, and manage the project to meet or exceed expectations. This paper discusses how to plan, design and manage an EOR project, proceeding from process selection through geologic analysis and modeling, project economics, project design, pilot testing (when and if required), and project implementation and surveillance. In each stage, key risks are identified, and actions to minimize those risks are given.
