Enhanced Oil Recovery

Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR), often referred to as tertiary recovery, encompasses a suite of advanced engineering techniques designed to extract crude oil from a reservoir beyond what is achievable through primary (natural pressure) and secondary (water or gas injection for pressure maintenance) methods. These processes are crucial for maximizing the output of mature oil fields by altering the physical properties of the oil or the reservoir rock to mobilize the remaining, otherwise unrecoverable, hydrocarbons. EOR methods are broadly categorized into three types: thermal recovery, which uses heat like steam injection to reduce the oil's viscosity; gas injection, which uses gases such as carbon dioxide or nitrogen to mix with and displace the oil; and chemical injection, which involves introducing polymers or surfactants to improve the efficiency of waterflooding and reduce the forces trapping oil within the rock pores.

1. Introduction to Enhanced Oil Recovery
   1. Overview of Oil Recovery Processes
      1. Definition of Oil Recovery
      2. Historical Development of Recovery Methods
      3. Classification of Recovery Techniques
   2. Stages of Oil Recovery
      1. Primary Recovery
         1. Natural Reservoir Drive Mechanisms
            1. Solution Gas Drive
            2. Gas Cap Drive
            3. Water Drive
            4. Gravity Drainage
            5. Compaction Drive
         2. Primary Recovery Performance
         3. Limitations of Primary Recovery
      2. Secondary Recovery
         1. Purpose and Objectives
         2. Pressure Maintenance Techniques
            1. Water Injection Systems
            2. Gas Injection for Pressure Support
         3. Waterflooding Operations
            1. Water Source Selection and Treatment
            2. Injection Well Patterns
            3. Sweep Efficiency Concepts
            4. Waterflood Performance Analysis
         4. Gas Injection in Secondary Recovery
            1. Types of Gases Used
            2. Injection Strategies and Optimization
         5. Secondary Recovery Performance Evaluation
         6. Limitations of Secondary Recovery
      3. Tertiary Recovery
         1. Definition and Scope
         2. Distinction from Secondary Recovery
         3. Classification of EOR Methods
   3. Residual Oil Saturation
      1. Definition and Physical Meaning
      2. Measurement Techniques
      3. Factors Affecting Residual Oil Saturation
      4. Role in EOR Process Selection
   4. EOR Fundamentals
      1. Recovery Factor Concepts
      2. Displacement Efficiency
      3. Volumetric Sweep Efficiency
      4. Microscopic Displacement Efficiency
   5. Importance and Objectives of EOR
      1. Increasing Ultimate Recovery
      2. Extending Field Economic Life
      3. Strategic Energy Security
      4. Economic Drivers and Market Conditions