Lessons Learned from the First Miscible CO2-EOR Pilot Project in Heterogeneous Carbonate Oil Reservoir in Abu Dhabi, UAE

Abstract

Abstract In 2009, ADCO implemented the first ever CO2 EOR pilot in the Middle. The pilot project is part of the Company overall strategy evaluate the feasibility of CO2 injection as an EOR process and in order to address key technical and business uncertainties as well as the risks associated with CO2 injection The pilot project includes three wells, a CO2 injection well, an observation well and an oil producing well. The pilot has been operated for one year now to achieve a set of pre-defined objectives. During this period, a comprehensive data acquisition program was conducted and collected data from wells and reservoir performance was analyzed to address key uncertainties related to miscible CO2-EOR injection process. Upon the completion of the project objectives in June 2010, a decision was taken to expand the project scope and target with new objectives that will help understanding another challenging anomaly in the oil fields (CO2 performance in the transition zones). This paper shares the challenges faced, lessons learnt and experience gained during the implementation, operation, and monitoring of the First Miscible CO2-EOR pilot project in a heterogeneous carbonate oil reservoir in Abu Dhabi, UAE.