Abstract:

Society of Petroleum Engineers Distinguished Lecturer 2023-2024 Lecture Season

Hydrocarbon Miscible EOR in Conventional and Unconventional Reservoirs

Eric Ding

International Reservoir Technologies, Inc. (IRT) Hydrocarbon Miscible Injection (HMI) based Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) is an effective solvent in many areas and reservoirs and is a viable alternative to CO2.

This talk is a comprehensive overview of the selection, design, and implementation of an underappreciated EOR mechanism. While hydrocarbon miscible EOR has been around for a long time, significant new opportunities continue to arise for economic projects, both in conventional and unconventional systems. The key is access to abundant, low-cost intermediate hydrocarbon components such as natural gas liquids (NGL) or liquified petroleum gas (LPG).

Significant and large targets exist in the US and worldwide for increased oil recovery of mature fields using miscible hydrocarbon gas injection. This lecture provides an overview of the EOR process, modeling and design considerations, as well as operational best practices. Project screening for both conventional and unconventional plays is also discussed.

Field results for both conventional and unconventional hydrocarbon miscible EOR are shown using current projects and technology as examples. Field experience at the recent Barron Flats Unit project is highlighted to demonstrate the benefits of miscible EOR in low permeability conventional formation floods. The unconventional EOR experience of Eagle Ford leases is shown as an example of real-world success of cyclic gas injection. Finally, a newly proposed technique for the injection of pumpable miscible injectant mixtures for cyclic unconventional EOR is discussed.

Biography:

Eric Ding has over 25 years in the petroleum industry, with a career covering development, implementation, and modeling of numerous miscible floods. His early career was spent in simulation modeling for various miscible projects in Alaska, including Prudhoe Bay. He later worked in North Africa for Anadarko Algeria on the El Merk complex. Since 2013, Eric has been a key contributor for IRT, performing numerous studies around the globe for both conventional and unconventional hydrocarbon miscible EOR. Eric is a registered professional engineer and holds a BS in Chemical Engineering from the University of Oklahoma and an MS ChE from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.