.

SPE/DOE
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PWdeum

Errf@eer#

U.S. Oapmtment
of E-y

SPE/DOE 20190
A Study of the Mechanisms of Carbon Dioxide Flooding
and Applications to More Efficient EOR Projects
S. Haynes Jr. and R.B. Alston, Texaco Inc.
SPE Members

@wight

1990, Society of Petroleum Engineers Inc.

This paper was prepared for presentation at the SPEfDOEsavanth Symposiumon Enhanced Oil Recoveryheld in Tulsa, Oklahoma,April 22-25, 1990.
Thie paper wae selected for presentationby an SPE Program Committee following review of Infmmation contained in an Sbslract eubmitfad by the autfrof(e).CmNantaof the paPar.
toCwraction
W theauthds).ma material.
aswa=n~ed.
*$ @ nec~rilY~~
as presented, have not bean reviewed by the society of Petroleum Englneera andaresuW?ct
any position of the Societyof PetroleumEnginwra, its officers,or memfsara.Paperetareaantscf
at SpE meetlngaare $ubl~t to Publicatan reviewby Edittial timmitiss of the SocW
SdWMdW@
of PefroteumEngineers.Permksiorsto copyis restrictedto an abstractof not mcfe than 3@lwords.IlluatretiaftsmeYnotbe coriti. The abstractShoutdCOntdnc@wk~
Telex, 7309S9SPEDAL.
of where and by whom the paper is presented. Write Publications Manager, SPE, P.O. W m,
Richardson,TX 7~.

reservoir oil sud the iqkcted gsa previous studies have

indicated that the MMP can be lowered by altering the
composition of either the reeemoir oil or the M+
gaa.s
The composition of the hydrocarbons in the reeenrow rnW
be changed by injection of light hydromrbo=
These
- a -O
I#w or
hydrocarbon nutY be bpctd
alternatively mixed with the iqjected carbon &osnde gas.
A method for adjusting the density of the (% while
maintaining the required MMP, wee reported.

a
The mechdeme of carbon dioxide flooding at pressures
below the *um
miscibility pressure (MMP) were
studied using a numerical model of a slim tube to
determine a means of increasing the efficiency of such
floods Results of these studies indicate the% in .m~tiple
contact fkding (MCmt tie - Pet +e h ~d-~
$ankOf
.
tint approsdme a cm=f=t ~mp=ition denosolvent approaching conditions of miscibility, but not
achieving it because of the quantity of methane, mtrogerh
end other light gases that overwhelms it, The ethsme plus
five percent of
componenb (CS+)mmpoeed approhtily
the resemroir gee phase. Thie constaut composition gea
phase formed early in the tlood and persisted throughout
the flood until eventual gee breakthrough.

Now a method for getting the mm tion of small Slugs of

hydrocarbon that will cause a r ood ta be miscible at
pressures below the normal MMP has been found end m
the subject of this paper.

DESCRIPTION

A simulated low-temperature tlaeh of the reservoir gee

phase produced a solvent that contained. more than 7S
percent ethane end propsn~ Slugs of t+e solvent were
used to produce miscible dwplacementi vnth COS gas at
pressures 40 percent below the W.
These findings were
confirmed in f-er
studies using fluids fkom several other
reservoirs.

~=~:

AND App~cA~ON

OF pR~J=

into a reseryoir will result in either a

immiscible dieplecemenL
Mk@
occur whenever the displacing w is tible
~
in all proportiona @b the reservoir fluid under the
and
prees~.
prevailing
Dkph@men#o?W&wWtiRpe~t~Wxn~
e
(FCM). carbon dioxide in a FCM flood will recover
essentially IO()percent of the reservoir fluid contacted.

DUCTION

~r ():

k the other hand, ~

by Slobod, et al+u MW one of two ~c

Numerous resenroirs would be suitable candidates for

carbon dioxide tlooding if their reservoir pressure were not
below that required for miscibility. It would be desirable
that these types of floods were either multicontsct or fmt
contact miscible, since they usually recover nearly 100
peramt of the ~rvoir
oiL For these reasou this study
was undertaken to discover a meana of effecting a misciblelike performance for COS injected into these underpressured resemoira.

era claeaUW
P~

those in which the equilibrium pbaaea at the

gee-oil fkont era essentially immkcible (IMM),

and
0

those

in

which the injectad gas is suffkiaW

enriched at the fkont se to be atmpletdy

miscible with the reservoir flui&
The second immkcible flooding process is referred to se
being multicontact miscible M
(MW.
~s@@ MCM
floo&like FCMfla@
bdisPM_ti4Uo
contacted
by .me depepdent
reservoir hy~
tiom tanperat~
and ~.
upon reservoir fhdd com
More oftan then IW G Uaethereael=-u
balOwtheMMP,_e*~~e*
~~

The minimum reasure needed to eUain miscibility, MMP,

depends not o& upon the temperature end pressure of the
reservoir, but also upon the composition of both the

~~~-
.

17s

A Study of the Mechanisms of Carbon Dioxide Flooding And

Adioetions
to More Efficient EOR Proieots
,,
.
pressure limitation could be overcome, then an appreciable
amount of recoverable oil could be added to our reserves.

SPE20190

the gas-oil ratio has begun to climb to very high values.

Also, it maybe observed that the slope of the enhanced oil
recovery versus pore volumes of gas i@3cted changes at
approximately 0.4 pore volumes iqjected. Furthermore, at
this same instent, the gas-oil ratio increases from S60
SCF/bbl [98 xn3/m1,the original gas-d ratio, to about 700
SCF/bbl [125 ms/m31.

CONDITIONALLY MISCIBLE FLOODS

A great number of reservoirs do not possess the reservoir
pressure sufllcient to promote either a carbon dioxide FCM
or a MCM flood. As C02 is tiected into one of these
reaervoire, the gas mixes with the reservoir fluid and forms
a gaa and a liquid phase. These phases progress through
the reservoir until a production well is reached.
The
composition of these two phases, under immiscible
conditions, is shown in Figure 1 as a fimction of the
distance along a CO, flood. TMs figure result.a from a
simulation of a slim tube COZ flood injecting pure carbon
dioxide into a tube saturated with a live reservoir fluid, B
Field, The temperature of the reservoir was 164F [346.5
K] and the pressure, 2600 psia [17.24 MPal. The MMP
for pure CO. aud thk fluid had been experimentally
established as 3340 psia [29.0 MPal. Thus the flood is
highly immiscible - some 640 Psia [5.79 ~a] or 25 Percent
below the MMP. The flood had progressed approximately
40 percent of the way from the injection to the production
well.

AU of these fmdinga would indicate that neither fmtcontact miscibility nor multicontact miscibility would be
achieved at 2,500 psia [17.23 MPal. But Figurv 2 shows
that there is a zone of constant composition which is
progressing through the reservoir, brought on by this
irnm&4ble displacement, It could be considered that this
zone of constant composition is a bank of solvent seeking
to achieve conditions of -lbfity,
but not quite achieving
it because of the dommant quantity of methane, nitrogen,
etc., that overwhelms it.
COMPOSITION OF SLUG TO ACHIEVE MISCIBILITY
The critical compositions in the premixed transition zone
can be determined experimentally from the composition of
the in-situ resenoir gas and liquid hydrocarbons formed
during a slim tube flood. Such a flood would be conducted
using pure carbon dioxide. The concentration of the
reservoir hydrocarbons that are removed by the carbon
dioxide flood were determined from the composition of the
gaseous hydrocarbon stream.

Not all of the components are shown, as to do so would

greatly and unnecessarily clutter the graph, Instead, Figure
1 shows the compositional changes for methane, carbon
dioxide, butanes, end a typical fraction (C, - C,,) of the
heavier portion of the reservoir fluid. Aa maybe observed,
the composition of the gas phase, shown by the triangles,
does not equal the composition of the liquid phase, shown
by the circles, that exists at the same spot along the floods
path,

Also, the critical composition may be determined by

The
experimental
conducting
simulated
floods.
determination, howeve~, would be very difl%xdt, involving
a slim tube having a roll-pressure microsampier affixed to
the tubes exit before the back pressure regulator?
Therefore,
the investigation was pursued using a
commercially available multicomponent reservoir simulator?

However, it is instructive to obseme the composition of the

gas at the gas-liquid front as a function of time, as shown
in Figure 2. In thw instance the composition of the
components *g
up the gas phase at the gas-liquid front
appears to approach a constant as the flood progresses. In
this case the COZ is reduced from 100 percent to 0.45
percent end the intermediate C,-C,, portion rises from 0.0
to 0.02 percent.

Four reservoir fluids nf different composition were chosen

for this study. Theso fields are typical of those reservoirs
that have been waterflooded to their economic limit, tmd
yet contain appreciable amounts of original oil in place. A
complete analysis of each of these live reservoir fluids is
given in Table 1. Methane contents range from 18.2
The heptane plus, the ~,
percent to 61.5 percent.
fraction, has been divided into three ranges of pseudo
compounds, CTto Cll, C,z to C=, -d Cu+. The Mference
in the character of these fluids w best indicated by. the
molecular weight and gravity of the CT+ fracbons.
MolecuIar weights of the stock tank oils range horn 184 to
248 and heir gravities from 30.4 to 45.0.

The interracial tension, calculated using the MacleodSugden correlation and psrachors for the individual
components of the mixture, is presented in Figure 3. This
figure dcpicta the interracial tension between the gas and
liquid hy*bon
phases as a function of distance along
the slim tube. The front has progressed about 6% feet [1.7
The gas-oil interfacia.1 tension, originally at 11.4
ml.
dynes/cm [11,4 N/ml has been reduced at this point to 2.6
dynesJcm [2,6 N/ml.
Several authors report that as
miscibility is approached, the interracial tension (IFT) drops
to an exceedingly low value. More importantly, whenever
the IFT drops below, say 0.1 dynes/cm [0.1 N/ml, the
residual oii !ett behind by a gas displacement is drastically
reduced - approaching values less than one percent.$oo
Thus, at these extremely low interfaciel tensions the
recovery would be expected to be nearly complete.
Contrariwise, as can be seen by reference to Figure 3, the
interracial tension remaim relatively high and thus the
recovery due tm gas displacement would be expected to be
low.

PRESENT ATION

OF DATA AND RESUL~

A series of slim tube simulations was performed using all

four of the chosen reservoir fluids whose characteristics are
given in Table 1. Simulations of a pure COa flood at
several chosen reservoir pressures were run. These served
two purposes first, to determine the recovery afforded by
COZ at the pressurq aud second, to determine the
composition of the Cz+solvent formed by the displacement.
SLIM WE

Figure 4 presente the enhanced oil recovery and the

oil ratio as a function of the pore volume of pure
injected.
Two items of interest are presented in
figure. F@L the oil recovery reaches only 0.68 by the

gasC02
thii
time

SIMULATION

The slim tube was assumed to be 40 feet [12.2 ml long, %inch [0.64 cm] diameter, and packed with sand having a
porosity of 0.379 and a permeabfity of 3000 md [2.96 @l.
.-.

SPE20190

The pore volume of the dim tube wee 146.34 cd. Gas, or
solvent, was injected at 17,2 crna/hr (at reeenroir
conditions).
Jt~mE

S. Haynes and R. B. Alston

As with the B Field case, the light ends increase as the
operating pressure decreases end the amounts of the
heavier components decrease. Tim butanes reti
f~h
constant over the pressure ranges studied.

Although each of the reservoir fluids wee investigated

during these studies, specifkally we present the results
using reservoir fluids B end F. The equation-of-state
parameters needed for the simulations were carefully fitted
to experimental PVT date using en awdliary program.e
Using thesa EOS parameters, the composition of the
resemoir fluid wee adjusted to be the bubble point liquid
for the desired pressure. Carbon dioxide was continuously
iqjected at the reservoir temperature and the studied
reservoir pressure.

RESULTS USING THE ETHANE PLUS SO LVE~

Additional simulations were then made using the Cz,
portion of the equilibrium reserwoir gas, The solvent was
calculated on the basis of a theoretical 100 percent split
between the methane and ethsne component
It was
thought that the error introduced by this assumption would
not substantially alter the results of the simulations. Again
we focus on two of the four fields, namely B and F.
B Field Reservoir

B Field Reservoir Fluid

Four additional slim tube experiments were then made
using the same resmvoir fluid as that described in TubZe1,
except that ita composition was the bubbIe-point fluid at
the investigated pressure. A 13 percent pore volume slug
of solvent was injected into the tube followed by injection
of pure COZ, (The composition of the solvent used in these
latter investigations consisted of the C*, fmction of the gas
phase SEgiven in Table 3.) The results of these additional
simulations are given in Tab& 6.

In the fol.Iowing example, the BWfield reservoir fluid,

having the composition shown in Table 2, was used in a
slim tube simulation. These compositions were obtained by
flashing the 3340 psia bubble point resmwoir fluid to the
Carbon dioxide was
desired operating
pressure.
continuously iqjected at 164F [346.5 KI and 3260, 3000,
2760,2500, or 2000 peia [22.4, 20.7, 19.0, 17.2, or 13.8 Ml%
respectively]. C!ompoeitione of the equilibrium gas and
liquid phase in the slim tube were obtained from the
simulation,
Aa mentioned earlier, the composition of the
gas phase at the ges/liquid front becmne constant after a
short-period of COZiqjection. We felt that the Cg, portion
of thw gas phase should be miscible with the reservoir
fluid. To test this hypothesis, C,+ solvents were calculated
for the equilibrium gases obtained at each pressure. The
resultant values are reported in TdJle 3.

The enhanced oil recove~ end the gas-oil ratios obtained

using a slug of ethane plus solvent at 2500 @a [17.2 MPal
are plotted in Figure 7 as a function of the gee ir@cted.
Two important differences between these curves ad those
reported in lSgum 4 are evident. FirstA the slope of the
recovety curve versus pore volumes b&xted is constant
until the final gas breakthrough at about 0.9 pore volumes
iqjected, Also, there is no prehninary break in the GOR
versus pore volume ~ected cwe until this same final gas
breakthrough.

It will be noted that the amount of light ends, CZ-C3,

increases es the operating pressure decreasea, whereas the
amount of the heavier components (CS - CJ decreases.
Only the butane quantity remains f&ly constant over the
pressure range of 2000 to 3250 psia [13.8 ta 22.4 ma].

Other phenomena may be observed as s results of

simulating thh 2500 psia [17.2 MPal flood. Referring h
Figure 8, one can see that the intarfaciel tension between
the gas and oil phaees is essentially zero near the gas-oil
fron~ furthermore, this low interracial tension progresses
without diminution in value during the entire time that the
flood is in progress, i.e., even up to the time the gas-oil
fkont breaks through to the production end of the slim
tube. This low interracial tension indicates that the flood
is a miscible flood.

lV Field Reservoir Fluid

A similar simulation was performed on the reservoir fluid
obtained from F field. The composition of the fluid is
given in Tab& 4, Slim tube simulations using this fluid
were made at 2500,2000 and 1750 psia [17.2, 13.8, and 12.1
Ml% respectively]. The experimental MMP for the fluid
was determined to be 2800 psia [19.3 MPal. Figure 5
shows the enhanced oil recovery and the gas-oil ratio
obtained fkom sim~ting
a pure C02 flood at 1750 psia
[12.1 MPal. In tlue case, some 1050 psia or 40 percent
below the MMP, the performance is typical of an
immiscible flood - that is, low recovery, 0.58, end early gas
breakthrough, at PV equals 0.4.

Further evidence of this rniacibtity may be discerned from

the compositions obsewed throughout the flood. ZO@m 9
presents the changes in the composition of the gas and oil
phases accompanying the 2500 psia [17.2 MPal flood
performed using the selected ethene PIUS solvent. The
triangles represent the amounts of the various components
present in the gas phase, and the circle% those present in
the liquid phase.
At the particular instant these
components are recorded, the flood front had progressed
approximately 40 percent along the *
tube, There are
several significant events shown thatshould be pointed outi

Selectkd composition of the gas and liquid phaeea ie given

in Figure 6. As was found in the simulation using the B
field reservoir fluids, the gee and liquid composition do not
equal each other at any point in the flood. Thii is typical
of an immiscible flood. Gas phases determined at the 20foot [6.1 ml distance are given in Table 5. Again, since the
dominant componen~ wee methane, whereas the developing
in-situ solvent of interest would contain the heavier
components, en ethane plus gaseous solvent is also reported
in the table.

The gas phase abruptly ceased to exist beyond

40 percent of the elim tube length. From
that point on only liquid reservoir fluid exists.
The composition representing the individual
components msking up these pha8es also
indicatea the abrupt change.

A Study of the Mechanisms of Csrbon Dioxide Flooding And

Applications to More Efficient EOR Projeots

4
o

At the injection end of the slim tube, the

composition of the gas phase equals that of
the iqjectad gas, Since the 13 percent pore
volume slug of C2, solvent was followed by
pure carbon dioxide, the composition here
equala pure carbon dioxide. At the other
extreme, the composition of that phase, the
liquid phase, equals the composition of the
original reservoir fluid.
Of more importance are the changes in
composition surrounding the area where the
gas phase abruptly changes to a liquid phase.
Here the compositions representing each of
the several component approach each other
and the gas and liquid compositions equal
each other at the gas-oil front.

From all these obsemations - the low interracial tension,

the behavior of the GOR versus pore volume injection
curve, and the behavior of the composition of the gas and
liquid phases at the flood front - it is evident that the
Similar
flood has progressed se a miscible flood.
conclusions can be drawn in the case of other floods made
using the appropriate C2+solvent slugs followed hy iqjection
of pure carbon dioxide for operationa at the higher
pressures, namely at 3260, 3000, and 2750 psia [22.4, 20.7,
and 19.0 MPal.

F Field Rese rvoir

In a similar manner, three slim tube floods were simulated
using the appropriate ethane plus solvents produced from
the F Field reservoir operated at each of three pressures
-2600, 2000, and 1750 psia [17.2, 13.S, and 12.1 MPal.
Each of these floods also used a 13 percent pore volume
slug of the Cz+ solvent, followed by pure carbon dioxide.
Recoveries of the reservoir oil observed se a result of these
solvent runs are given in Table 7.
Figure 10 presents the enhanced oil recoveries and the
GOR calculated for the 17S0 psia [12,1 MPal operation, As
can be seen, there is no change in the slope of the
recovery curve, nor isthere any evidence of an increase in
the GOR until the fti gas breakthrough.

SPE20196

LPG Solvent
A simulated C02 flood was run on the B field reservoir
fluid with a 13 percent hydrocarbon pore volume (HCPV)
slug of LPG (50:50, C~nC4). This slug was followed by
continuous COa injection at the rese~oir pressure of 2000
This displacement pressure was
psia [13.8 MPal.
approximately 40 percent beIow the 3334 psia [23.0 ma]
MMP. During the i~ection phase of the LPG, the solvent
was a liquid that rniscibly swept the fkont portion of the
slim tube of all other hydrocarbons. After initiation of the
CO, drive fluid injection, the LPG slug began ta be
deteriorate because C02 is not miscible with a 60:60
mixture of C~:nC4at 2000 psia [13.8 MPal. Thii lack of
miscibility at the trailing edge of the miscible slug flood
Wowed fingering of the drive fluid to occur. The fingering
resulted in lees than optimal recovery, 73.6 percent, of the
pentanes plus hydrocarbons at initial CO1 breakthrough.
Ultimate recovery was 90.4 volume percent, at L1O PVs
injected, when the producing GOR rose above 5,000 SCF/b
[890,6 mS/mSl.
C,. SoIvent
In similar manner, a simulated COZflood WM made using
a 13 percent HCPV slug of Cz+ advent. All wmditione of
the simulation were identical to the previous simulation
using LPG solvent, During the slug iqjection phase, the
liquid C,+ slug miacibly displaced the front portion of the
other liquid hydrocarbons. This liquid ~+slug was then
followed by displacement with pure CO*. Deterioration of
the slug began. The resultant 76.5 percent recovery of
pentanes plus hydrocarbons, at initial CO* breakthrough,
was nearly equal to the previous LPG slug flood. Ultimate
recovery of this flood, 90.6 percent at 1,1 PV injected, was
also virtually identical to the previous flood.

!2Q.zxw
A base case, using continuous iqjection of COZ only, was
simulated using identically the same conditions as the
previous solvent EhIgSo This run was made to show a
comparison to an immiscible C02 displacement. Tab& 8
compares the recovery etllcien~ of all three simulations for
both initial COt breakthrough and ultimate recovery.
EFFECT OF SLUG SIZE

The enhanced oil recoveries and the interracial tensions

observed during the 1750 [12,1 MPal operation are
essentially identical to those observed for floods with this
reservoir fluid at other pressures - the 2600 and 2000 psia
[17.2 and 13.8 MPal operationa. The interracial tensions
determined during this simulation are presented in Figure
1.1. Here the presence of very low interracial tensions
again indicates that the flood has progressed as a miscible
flood,

c OMPARISON OF LPG VS C*+JXUEEXS

The use of a 13 percent HCPV slug of ethane plus solvent

has Jeen shown capable of producing a miscible flood for
the B Field ad the A Field reservoir fluids (and the
method may be applicable to other reaemoire as well).
Since a 13 percent pore volume solvent slug was used in
the simulations, the question arises, can a miscible flood be
maintained using leas than a 19 percent HCPV slug of C2,
solvent? To answer this question a slim tube simulation
waa performed using a 6.6 percent HCPV slug of the ~,
solvent to miacibly displace the B Field reservoir fluid at
2500 paia [17.2 MPa] and 16#F [346.5 K] as before. The
salient results of this flood are given in Figures 12 and 13.

It maybe thought that this process is similar to that using

an LPG solvent in which rnMbility is present at both the
leading and trailing edges of the slug, And to a certain
extent it ia To demonstrate the two processes, slim tube
simulations were run using LPG and Cq+solvents and the
resuh compared to those obtained by @ction of COZonly.

Figure 12 presents the enhanced oil recovery and the

calculated GOR as a fhnction of the pore volume of the gas
iqjected (6.6 percent HCPV slug of C*, eolvent followed by
pure carbon dioxide). The slope of the enhanced oiI
recove~ does not have a intofchange until the flnalgaa
breakthrough is obsem x , Furthermore, the GOR curve

(,;

.,

S, Haynes and R. B. Alston

SbE20190

does not have an intermediate change in value as would

accompany an immiscible flood, as discussed earlier. Both
of these Iota indicate that the flood did progress as a
miscible 8 od
It should be notad that just one instant
before the fti
gas breakthrough, the GOR appeared to
rise very slightly. Perhaps this may indicate that this slug
size, 6.6 percent HCPV, is approaching the minimum
requirement, Further investigation would be necessary to
establish this point.

ACKNOWL EDGEME~
The authors are indebted ta numerous researchers who
developed the data presented in this paper. We appreciate
the careful review of the paper and suggestions given by
Drs, Marc F, Fontaine and Mary K. Hill. The presentation
of this payer would not have been possible without the
suggestiona, and pertilon
of the
encouragement,
management of Texaco Inc., to whom we are gratefti.

The following conclusions may be drawn es a result of this

investigatiorx

Carbon dioxide floods simulated twing pure

COt at pressures below the MMP yielded low
enhanced
oil
recoveries,
early
gas
breakthroughs, and interfaced tension greater
than one (1) dyne/cm [1.0 N/ml. AU of these
phenomena indicate
the
floods were
immiscible.

REFER ENCES

these immiscible tloode, it was

During
apparent that at the gas-liquid flood front the
gas phm compositions were approaching a
constant value, These compositions appeared
to be unique and dependent upon the
reservoir pressure and characterization of the
resexwoir fluid,

1.

Alston, R, B., Kokolis, G. P., and James, C. F.: C02

Minimum Miscibility Pressure A correlation for
Impure CO, Streams and Live Oil Systeme~ SPE
11959 presented at the 1983 Annual Technical
Conference and Exhibition, San Francisco, Oct. 5.8.

2,

Brown, A, Haynea, S., Alves, G.W., and Lii, F.H,:

Carbon Dioxide Floodiig with a Premixed Transition
zone of Carbon Dioxide and Crude Oil Componen@
U.S. Patent No.4,589,486 (1984).

3,

Cardenas, R. L,, Alston, R. B., and Nute, A J.:

Laboratory Design of a Gravity Stable Miscible CO,
Procesa~ J. Pet. Tech, (January 1984) 111-118.

4.

Slobod, R,L. and Koch, H.A.: High-Pressure Gas

Iqjection - Mechanism of Recovery Increase: Drill.
end Prod, Prac,, API (1953) 82-96.

5.

Wagner, 0. R. and Leach, R. O.: Effect of Interracial

Tension on Displacement EfEciencyS Sot. Pet. Eng.
J. (December 1966) 335-344,

6.

Hough, E.W. and Warren, H. G.: Correlation of

Interracial Tension of Hydrocarbons Sot. Pet. Eng.
J, (December 1966) 345-349.

7.

Ahmed, T, H,: An Experimental Study of Crude Od

Recovery by High Pressure Nitrogen Iqjection: PhD
Thesis, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK (1980).

8.

Coata, K. H.: An Equation of State Composition

Model; SOC.Pet, Eng. J. (October 1980) 363-376.

9.

Coats, ICH. and Snuu% G.T.: Application of a

Regreseion-Baaed EOS PVT Program to Laboratmy
Da@ paper SPE 11197 presented at the 57th
Annual Fall Technical Cotierence and ExMbition,
New Orleansj September22-29, 1982.

Slugs of ethane
plus solvents,
the
compositions of which were determined from
the above pseudo steady-state operations,
followed by continuous injection of COZwere
then used in the simulation studies to
displace the respective reservoir fluids. The
oil recoveries, the GOR accompanying the
flood, and the intafacial tension indicate that
these solvent-enhanced floods were miscible
at pressures up to as much as 40 percent
below the MMP required for displacements
with pure COZ.
A comparison was made of the Ct+ solvents
effectiveness with that of a more conventional
LPG solvent. The results were SEfollows
L

2.

A study of slug size was made using the B

field reservoir fluid. The floods proved ta be

miacibbx however, there was an indication
that a 6.5 percent pore volume slug may be
approaching the minimum required to
maintain miscibility throughout the simulated
slim tube flood.

CON CLUS IONS

passing, all of which would pobnt~y

decrease the chances of a high
recovery.

The interfiicial tension between the gas and liquid phases,

as determined by the simulation progranw is presented in
Figure 13. Four separate curves are shown here, that at
the instmt when approximately 26, 50, 76, and 100 percent
of the slim tube had been traversed by the flood. During
each of these instants, the interracial tension was low.
Other investigators reported that oil recoveries approaching
those obtained by miscible floods are achieved when
interracial tensiona are this low. The present simulations
certainly tend to corroborate this finding.

In the case of the LPG solvent, the

flood produced a slightl earlier C02
breakthrough than it diJ with. the C2+
solvent. The ultimate recoveries were
essentially the same.
Lack of fmt contact miscibility of C02
in the LPG slug would increase the
chances of f~ering
and solvent by
---

179
,

SPE 20190
9
.

Tabk1

T2W42

RESERVOIR FLUIDS

RE22RVDIR

E52kl

x1361dmaJwl
OLVJ17
0.0203
0.3172
0.2267
0.0422
0.0597
0.1s47
0.1226
0.042s

omt37
00035
o.4m4
0.0441
0.0119
0.0249
O.lEW
0.1s16
0.0747

Mb

0.027!3
0.0.5146
0.1410
0.0437
00607

0.0043
0.M21
0.1423
O.lms
00441
O.oa
0.1652
0.207s
O.osn

0.1102
0.0E35
0.0162

Told
243.0
392

Md Wel@d

Gr2vty,
AH

TUlrp2mllwe,
F
Pre6um,IW

FLUID FRDM W FIELD

201.0
37.3

m4

221.0

O.(ml
0.0036
0.4s72
004s2
0.0121
0.0265
O.lKI1
0.1244

u.uob3

0.2036

QLQ9za
1lwoo

J?zw

JMQ

30m-

0.W043
0.0034
0.4224
0.0462
0.0123

O.ouu
0.WS2

0.1647
0.2133

Omm
0.0132
0.0224
0.1723
0.2232

0.W7
O.ml
0S412
O.wm
0.0142
O.wle
0.!914
0.2472

Qo3zl

9J.QU

QJ!m9

Qlll$l

1.Lkxxr

1.Oow

1JJow

1.Omo

0.0034
0.4460
00466
0.0126
0.-

o.02m

0.1571

Oiw$

le40

W4

234
2512

3334

.a23Q

45.0

f14

2m
4923

mm

T@bla 3
RESERVOIR FUJID FROM 6 FIELD

Preswm

@2

J&

J%*%
cat
c.

0.0Q46
0.227s
0.028s
0.W36
0.0037

0.713
0.076
0.07s
0.117
0.016

1.mxlo

lad

0.0140
oao45
0.2222
0.0347

0.0122

O.olw
0.0046
0.92543
O.ow
o.oo3a
0.0040
O.wm
0.0006

0.739

0.0049
0.0C415

1.lm

0.010

loom

1.mo

0.0176
0.0346
0.2W4
0.0371

0.761

O.on

0.0037
O.WM
0.2040
0.0004

0.077
0.075
O.om

J@d-

0.7s2

1.000

t .Oooo

1.WI

0.UM3
osroo2

&0.0146

O.om
0.067
0.070
0.004
=

0.0U32
O.mw

0.071
0.023
O.om

10JOO

A1.
0.W4
0.4319
o.m44
0!M44
0.0023
o.oCe2
O.WQ1

0.816

o.on
0.060
0.046

MN
=

l,om

1.000

T2t424

R2s2RwlRFL4AD
mFm.n

R~Wn;:EID

Pr4B41m
*
%,
c,
C.@,
c,
c,.c.#
C,-c,,
C,,J2=
%
Total

0.06s4
0.1s73
0.1629

0.0013
0.0166
0.2616
0.2073
0.0430
O.(WS
0.1s66
0.17$0

RJ&tR

Q.QzQz

O.lwz
0.0200
030541
0.2171
0.0407

0.0010
0.0173
0.2325

.usd_

~~

xi.

<-q

QQz65
1mm

0.0187
0.0122

C,aq

o.a63

%
ToW

O.zlti
0.0223

c,
C/2#
~-c,,

==
1.CQo

.IaL

xii+.

0.760
0.05?
0.062

0.2231
0.0219
o.olm

0.047
0.022
~

0.o.a12@

1.000

1.OQ1O

0.811
O.om
O,*
O.am
0.014

0.3M

0.424
O.Om

0.01=
Mom
O.ml

O.om
w
0.011

RECOVERW
ATQASW!MIWUW

O.m

0.720

O.m

O.ao

O.m

0.-

0.910

0.904

1.300

3.4W

O.m

two

Tabk 7

WWOWCUW

<0.001

1.mKro

lm

Pu4cq

0.720

0.700

O.ao

O.w

O.mo

20iVu4 (0.13 VJ ~

0.106

&-

aoo44
0.0322
0.W26
0.2310
0.=1

T4M4
$
RECOVERIES AT MS

J--

0.0046
0.0314
o.@xYl

00047
0.0322
O.sml

0.2015
0.0444
O.wss
0.1063
O.lw

1.0000

I.omo

two

<0,001

<Owl

S.12C
<0.oo1

-l

@w%

Pwcq
tkflltnto&vJ

O.lm

l.ao

<Oml

am

<0.oo1

I
,,

s
T@bh8

PRo6umlrFlkiu20QIcuIs
RN

(&/C,

0.s00

0.735

0.?s5

0.740

0.W4

0.SC6

moo

0.133

0. fm

Jaacib9russ4%
Rmu#etyat

GmSrmklkqh

-.
~
slug S120
Drhw Fluld MMIxIShIO

CC),

W*

co=

FIGURE I
SIMULATEO LABORATORY
SLIMTUBE EXPERIMENT
COMPOSITION
OF GAS AND LIOUID PHASES

FIGURE 2
SIMULATED
LABORATORY SLIMTUBE EXPERIMENT
COMPOSITION
OF GAS PHASE AT FLOOD FRONT

LO
METHANE
METHANE

C,-c,
z
o
F
u

1-

0.01 :

BUTANE

ETHANE PROPANE

0.01

CARBON IJIOXIOE
0.001

TEMPERATURG164F
PRESSUREZ2500 pda
PURE CARBON DIOXIOE

0.001

AGA!j PHASE
oLIOUIO PHASE

0.0001
0

0.2

0.4
0.6
FRACTiONAL OfSTANCE

0.8

Lo

0.0001 I
0

NITROGEN

BUTANE. C7-CB,&~

TEMPERATUREt164F
PRESSURE:2500 psla
PURE CARBON OIOXIOE

1.0

2.0
3.0
INJECTION TIME,hours

4.0

5*O

%
m
IQ
=
d
9
0

-./
,...
FIGURE 4
SIMULATED LABORATORY SLIMTUBE EXPERIMENT
BFIELD RESERVOIR FLUID

FIGURE 3
SIMULATED LABORATORY SLIMTUBE EXPERIMENT

115000

1.0)

In
Ill

0.8-

6
c

>
=

z
o

d
> 0.6u

m
-

10000~
in
o

i=
<

Er

o
n

.
g
w

A
TEMPERATURE: 164F
PRESSUR&2500 @Cl
PURE CARBON DIOXIDE

Ix

m
g

1.0 z

&
g
~

0.1
o

0.8

1.0

FIGURE 5
SIMULATED LABORATORY SLIMTUBE EXPERIMENT
FmFIELD RESERVOIR FLUID
115000
Lo!

0.2

0.4

0.6

5000 s
a
0

0.8

FLIHO INJECTED,PORE VOLUMES

0.2-

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

L2

Lo

FLUID INJECTED,PORE VOLUMES

FRACTIONAL OISTANCE

OJ
0

&

0.4

0.6

0.4

0.2

a
u

TEMPERATURE:164*F
PRESSURE:2500 PSIO
PURE CARBON DIOXIDE

Lo

L2

.,,.,,.

FIGURE 6
SIMULATED LABORATORY SLIMTUBE EXPERIMENT
COMPOSITION OF GAS AND LIQUID PHASES

o.OOO,o~o

FRACTIONAL OISTANCE

FIGURE 8

FIGURE 7
SIMULATED LABORATORY SLIMTU8E EXPERIMENT
WFIELO RESERVOIR FLUIO

ooo~

1.0

VI
%
n
A
0
>

0.8-

- 8000
TEMPERATURES164*F
PRESSURE:2500 Psla

m
\
IL.
0

- 6000 ?

0.6

~
Z*

Er

WI
K
o
a.

~
w

SIMULATEO LABORATORY SLIMTUBE EXPERIMENT

INTERFACIAL TENSION

-4000 g

0.4

TEMPERATURE 164F
PREsSURG2500 psla
ETHANE PLUS SOLVENT

2
u
a

G
v
#

0.2-

00

0.2

0.8

0.6

0.4

oooo,~
.

0.4

0.2

Lo

0.6

0.8

FRACTIONAL OISTANCE

FLUID INJECTED.pORE VOLUMES

FIGURE 10
FIGURE 9
SIMULATEO LABORATORY SLIMTUBE EXPERIMENT
COMPOSITION OF GAS ANO LIOUIO PHASES

SIMULATED LABORATORY SLIMTUBE EXPERIMENT

F-FIELD RESERVOIR FLUIO
- 10000

1.0

1.0

0.8-

- 8000
TEMPERATUR& 234F
PREssuRE:i750 psla

0.6 P

Er

0.4 +

0.2 -

I
0.0001
o

ii

11

0.2

iJ

0.4

0.6

FRACTIONAL DISTANCE

0.8

Lo

0
0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

FLUID INJECTED,PORE VOLUMES

~pE 20190

Wmsotlvu

lIOPWJ

1-

S3NIl10A

3tJOdAWA033U

1-

JJllf

1111111 1 1

ul&VSOU~PNofSN31

111111i 1 1

Iulll

I 1 L

1V13VAM31NI

..
w