Exxonmobil Upstream Research Company

Exxon Production Research Company

Gary F Teletzke

Stuart Ronald Keller

Chun Huh

Ronald L Reed

William B Maze

Sriram S Nivarthi

Robert D Denton

Preeti Kamakoti

Jaime A Valencia

Thomas L Ashcraft

David W Maher

Michael W Lin

Yitian Xiao

Jasper L Dickson

Peter G Smith, Jr

Disclosed techniques include a method of obtaining an enhanced oil recovery fluid from a hydrocarbon reservoir, comprising producing a hydrocarbon stream from the hydrocarbon reservoir, separating an associated gas stream from the hydrocarbon stream, and condensing at least a portion of the associated gas stream to obtain an enriched hydrocarbon fluid suitable for injecting into a liquid layer of the hydrocarbon reservoir to enhance recovery of hydrocarbons from the hydrocarbon reservoir.

Self-sourced reservoir fluid for enhanced oil recovery

A method for recovering oil from a subterranean, hydrocarbon-bearing formation includes at least one injection well and injecting a carrier fluid including a diverting agent into a high permeability pathway within the formation. An activating fluid is injected into the high permeability pathway within the formation, resulting in the precipitation or swelling of the diverting agent. The permeability of the high permeability pathway is decreased within the formation containing the diverting agent to a permeability less than the permeability of the adjacent areas of the formation. A mineralization fluid may be injected that is oversaturated or becomes oversaturated upon interacting with the acid gas that causes mineral precipitation to seal off high-permeability pathways.

Methods for improving the sweep efficiency of gas injection

A method for producing hydrocarbons from and/or storing C0in an organic-rich rock formation. One embodiment of the method includes the steps of injecting the C0into an injection well in the organic-rich rock formation and producing the hydrocarbons from a production well when a drainage volume of the production well has an average reservoir pressure equal to or less than a predetermined pressure. The hydrocarbons substantially include natural gas and the injection well is in fluid communication with the production well. The embodiment also includes capping the production well and feeding the C0into the injection well when the produced hydrocarbons include a C0mole fraction greater than or equal to a predetermined mole fraction.

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The invention is a method for simulating one or more characteristics of a multi-component, hydrocarbon-bearing formation into which a displacement fluid having at least one component is injected to displace formation hydrocarbons. The first step of the method is to equate at least part of the formation to a multiplicity of gridcells. Each gridcell is then divided into two regions, a first region representing a portion of each gridcell swept by the displacement fluid and a second region representing a portion of each gridcell essentially unswept by the displacement fluid. The distribution of components in each region is assumed to be essentially uniform. A model is constructed that is representative of fluid properties within each region, fluid flow between gridcells using principles of percolation theory, and component transport between the regions. The model is then used in a simulator to simulate one or more characteristics of the formation.

Method and system for simulating a hydrocarbon-bearing formation

A method is disclosed of estimating a property of a hydrocarbon-bearing formation penetrated by at least one injection well through which fluid is injected into the formation and penetrated by at least one production well through which fluid is produced from the formation. The injection rates of fluid through the injection wells are periodically varied and measured at substantially regular time intervals and measurements are also made of the production rate of fluid produced through the production well. A series of production well response delays, &tgr;, are selected. A set of correlation coefficients between the injection rate for each injection well and the production rate as a function of &tgr; are determined. From each set of correlation coefficients, a time lag, &tgr; , corresponding to the maximum correlation coefficient is determined. The &tgr; is then used to characterize a formation property, such as channel volume, permeability, or transmissibility.

Method for determining a property of a hydrocarbon-bearing formation

This invention relates to an improved method for recovering oil from a subterranean formation comprising sequentially injecting into the formation through an injection well in communication therewith: (a) a slug of an aqueous solution containing a high concentration of a gas mobility control agent; (b) a slug of an aqueous solution containing a low concentration of said gas mobility control agent; and (c) gas as the primary oil displacing fluid selected from the group consisting of carbon dioxide, hydrocarbon gas, inert gas and steam whereby said gas and said slugs of aqueous solution containing the gas mobility control agent form a mixture in the formation that significantly reduces gas mobility in the more permeable regions of the formation.

Injection procedure for gas mobility control agents

A method for recovering oil from a subterranean formation is disclosed wherein an aqueous surfactant solution is injected into the formation to reduce the mobility of gas in a gas-flooding process. The gas may include hydrocarbon gas, inert gas, carbon dioxide, and steam, or mixtures thereof. The surfactant is represented by the general formula ##STR1## where R is a linear or branched chain alkyl group with n carbon atoms wherein n ranges from about 6 to about 50, except that if the gas is steam n ranges from about 9 to about 50;

Oil recovery process using arkyl aryl polyalkoxyol sulfonate surfactants

A method for recovering oil from a subterranean formation is disclosed wherein an aqueous surfactant solution is injected into the formation to reduce the mobility of gas in a gas-flooding process. The gas may include hydrocarbon gas, inert gas, carbon dioxide, and steam. The surfactant is represented by the general formula ##STR1## where R is a linear or branched chain alkyl group with n carbon atoms wherein n ranges from 0 to about 18, except that if the gas is steam n ranges from about 9 to about 30;

Growing community of inventors

Sugar Land, TX, United States of America

Gary F Teletzke