N
ormally, reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions while increasing the oil supply are seen as mutually
exclusive activities. But a traditional technology may help reduce manmade carbon output and, at the same
time, give old fields new life.
Enhanced oil recovery (EOR) has been around for several decades in various forms. In the United States, it
accounts for 350 000 bpd of production, primarily using naturally occurring deposits of carbon dioxide (CO
2
) to coax
by‑passed oil out of the ground.
But the potential is huge. An analysis conducted by the US Department of Energy estimates that CO
2
EOR
alone could add up to 137 billion bbls of economically recoverable reserves. Thanks to higher oil prices, the
Energy Information Administration (EIA) estimates that CO
2
EOR production in the US will grow to as much as
Oilfield Technology
correspondent Gordon Cope, shows how enhanced oil recovery has
the potential to give oil companies’ bottom-lines – and the environment – a boost.
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