CO2 Foam EOR Field Pilot - Pilot Design, Geologic and Reservoir Modeling, and Laboratory Investigations

Summary A CO2 foam field pilot research program has been initiated to test and advance the technology of CO2 foam systems with mobility control to optimize CO2 integrated EOR and CO2 storage. Previous CO2 foam pilot tests have analyzed field scale displacement mechanisms, foam’s effects on gas mobility, reservoir injectivity, and overall recovery. Past tests have shown variable amounts of success, establishing the need for a more integrated methodology for advancing CO2 foam technology for EOR. This work describes initial design, generation of geologic and dynamic reservoir models, laboratory investigations, and the application of a reservoir management workflow for a CO2 foam field pilot in the Permian Basin of west Texas, USA. Application of a reservoir management workflow guides a systematic approach from data gathering, model generation, and decision making to final implementation and analysis of the CO2 foam field pilots. Initial pilot design begins with an improved reservoir characterization, field pilot selection criteria, and laboratory studies. Laboratory work investigating foam’s behavior at variable pressures found that increased reservoir pressure will result in more favorable CO2 foam behavior as it will recover oil more effectively, considering the economic limits on CO2 and surfactant usage.