IFP (a member of the EOR Alliance) proposed the first polymer flood in a heavy oil reservoir in 1995 in the Pelican Lake field. This thin (5 m average) giant reservoir (6.4 billion barrels OOIP) contains high viscosity oil (over 1,000 cp) and has mostly been produced through primary depletion using horizontal wells. The first pilot failed because of operational issues but a second pilot in 2005 proved highly successful (Delamaide, Zaitoun, Renard, & Tabary, 2013), with the production in the central producer going from less than 10 bopd to over 360 bopd. After almost 8 years of continuous injection the central well in the pilot is still producing over 150 bopd with a water-cut of less than 70%. Following that success the polymer flood has been extended to most of the field, making Pelican Lake the second largest polymer flood in the world after Daqing.
Author: ifpcanada_dev
Bramberge (Germany)
The Bramberge field in Germany is being waterflooded and producing at high water-cut. The challenges in this reservoir are the large variations in salinity due to a mix between the initial reservoir water (120 g/L TDS) and injection water (33 g/L) as well as the high hardness of the injection water. In spite of this, a surfactant-polymer formulation exhibiting high recovery was developed for the field (Tabary, et al., 2012) and adsorption was reduced to acceptable levels by using appropriate adsorption inhibitors. The project is proceeding and a field pilot is planned.
Confidential (Malaysia)
Foam was selected by the operator to improve the performances of a WAG process. A formulation generating a stable foam with goof rheological properties and stability in reservoir conditions was designed (Chabert, et al., 2013). The next step in the process should be a pilot test.
IFPEN launches Dolphin™, an experimental research project with industry
In collaboration with six industrial partners, IFP Energies nouvelles (IFPEN) has just launched the DolphinTM research project, which aims to examine the impact of chemical enhanced oil recovery (EOR) processes on water management system.
EOR could play a key role in increasing the quantity of oil extracted from a field. In a context of rising oil prices, it becomes a major challenge for oil operators. Chemical recovery uses viscosifiers and surfactants, in particular, making it possible to produce up to 20% more hydrocarbons from an oil field.
One of the problems raised by the development of chemical EOR is the impact of the products used on the water cycle. This means that it is important to study the compatibility of EOR processes with fluid separation technologies, to develop appropriate solutions to facilitate the treatment of produced water and to define the conditions for reinjection of water into reservoirs for the purpose of enhanced recovery.
To this end, IFPEN, working with Petrobras and Statoil, has just finalized an 18-month preliminary study in the laboratory designed to gain a clearer understanding of the impact of chemical EOR on surface water treatment facilities. Given the technical hurdles that still need to be overcome, IFPEN is now launching an ambitious research program open to oil operators via the creation of the DolphinTM project. In addition to Petrobras and Statoil, IFP Technologies Canada, OMV, Shell and Wintershall have already joined DolphinTM.
Scheduled to last three years, DolphinTM should make it possible to study the impact of chemical EOR on the production system as a whole, in conditions representative of oil fields, and, more specifically, assess the compatibility of chemical EOR substances with treatment additives, along with their impact on well performance, surface installations and reinjection processes.
IFP Energies nouvelles (IFPEN) is a public-sector research, innovation and training center active in the fields of energy, transport and the environment. Its mission is to provide public players and industry with efficient, economical, clean and sustainable technologies to take up the challenges facing society in terms of climate change, energy diversification and water resource management. It boasts world-class expertise. IFPEN has been strongly involved in chemical EOR for more than two decades and develop innovative solutions based on state of the art laboratory and modeling facilities. Learn more at www.ifpenergiesnouvelles.fr.
IFP Energies nouvelles recognized as one of the world’s top innovators
07 October 2013
For the third year running, IFPEN has earned a place in Thomson Reuters’ list of Top 100 Global Innovators
For the past three years1, IFPEN has been one of the world’s 100 most innovative organizations according to the “Global innovators” list drawn up by Thomson Reuters. This year, nine major French industrial groups and three research bodies (IFP Energies nouvelles, French National Scientific Research Center (CNRS) and French Atomic Energy Commission (CEA)) were singled out, making France the 3rd most innovative country, behind the USA and Japan.
To be included in the list, the innovation value of an organization is assessed on the basis of four parameters: the volume (number of patents), the patent-filing success rate (ratio between patent applications and patents granted), the international scope of the patents and, finally, their influence (number of times an original patent is cited by other applicants).
The award is due recognition of the quality of IFPEN’s policy of innovation and industrial development, aimed at protecting the results of its research and promoting technology transfer to industry, in order to support the competitiveness of French and European companies.
IFPEN, the leading patent filer among French research bodies
According to the latest INPI ranking of patent filers in France (2012), IFP Energies nouvelles is among the top 11 national patent filers. That puts IFPEN among the top three research bodies in France, with the French Atomic Energy Commission (CEA), and the French National Scientific Research Center (CNRS). When adjusted to account for workforce, IFPEN climbs to number one.
In addition, IFPEN is the 11th largest French patent filer in the United States (with 75 patents granted in 2010) and has a portfolio of over 12,200 active patents.
IFPEN published 176 patents in 2012 (and created 880 ownership rights), i.e. 12% more than in 2010. These results are the fruit of a constant innovation process, aimed at transferring technology to industry and creating both value and jobs.
IFPEN, the leading patent filer in the field of renewable energies
Of the 176 patents filed in 2012, 88 concern new energy technologies: biofuels, marine energies, biobased chemistry, alternative powertrains including hybridization and electrification, CO2 capture/conversion, etc.
When adjusted to account for workforce, IFPEN is the leading patent filer in the renewable energy sector.
This confirms IFPEN’s commitment to the energy transition and its determination to promote the emergence of new industrial processes across France.
1 Included in Thomson Reuters list of “Global innovators” in 2011, 2012 and 2013.
For further information: www.top100innovators.com
IFPEN and REPSOL sign a framework collaboration agreement
15 January 2014
IFP Energies nouvelles (IFPEN) and REPSOL Technology Center have just signed a framework collaboration agreement for the joint conduct of research and innovation projects in the field of exploration and production.
In order to identify new reserves and optimize production, IFPEN is developing basin modeling and reservoir characterization software to provide a better insight into the underground environment and help evaluate the oil potential. In parallel REPSOL is conducting technology research focusing challenging aspects of underground modeling and reservoir characterization, with application to key projects of the company. One of the main objectives of the collaboration is to validate and jointly develop these technologies using real data from the fields operated by the Spanish oil company. IFPEN and REPSOL will use these data to fine-tune the software and adapt it to the specific problems faced by REPSOL.
Some priority areas have already been identified in the area of carbonate reservoir characterization. To carry out their studies, IFPEN and REPSOL – via its Technology Center in Madrid – will draw on the expertise of their respective teams in the field of oil geosciences.
This collaboration may subsequently be extended to other research fields or exploration and production-related services.
“By combining our know-how with the experience of an operator like REPSOL, we will be able to develop innovative solutions that will help us optimize the production of oil reserves”, highlights Maurice Bouteca, Director of IFPEN’s Resources Business Unit.
“This collaboration will deliver new insights into some of the most challenging aspects of reservoir characterization and modeling with an important impact in future E&P projects”, says Santiago Quesada, Director of REPSOL’s E&P Technology.
IFP Energies Nouvelles is a public-sector research, innovation and training center active in the fields of energy, transport and the environment. Its mission is to provide public players and industry with efficient, economical, clean and sustainable technologies to take up the challenges facing society in terms of climate change, energy diversification and water resource management. In the field of conventional and unconventional oil and gas exploration and production, IFPEN develops innovative solutions based on a precise understanding of the mechanisms at play. In particular, these solutions draw on multiscale simulation and modeling techniques validated in the laboratory and on-site.
http://www.ifpenergiesnouvelles.com/developpement-industriel/exploration-production
REPSOL is an integrated oil and gas company present in more than thirty countries, employing 23,000 people. The company is the market-leader in refining and marketing in Spain with a daily production of 360,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day and a refining system, which can process 998,000 barrels of oil per day. During the recent years, the company has lived an important growth in upstream areas participating in some of the world’s largest discoveries. The REPSOL technology centre is one of the most advanced in Europe and the largest in Spain, spanning 56,000 m., with more than 400 scientists and researchers working at the facilities through the company’s value chain.
www.repsol.com
IFP Energies nouvelles, a major player in the field of EOR (enhanced oil recovery)
IFP Energies nouvelles (IFPEN) has just organized a workshop (The Chemical EOR Workshop: Key Success Factors) unenhanced oil recovery (EOR) on chemical enhanced oil recovery (EOR), held from 27 to 29 May 2013 in Rueil-Malmaison and attended by more than 60 EOR managers representing around 25 oil companies. The success of the event bears testimony to the importance of this theme for oil companies wishing to optimize the production of oil and gas reserves.
Against a backdrop of growing demand and the depletion of conventional reserves, EOR is one of the major challenges for oil production. Although recovery rates vary from one field to another, the worldwide average is around 35%. Of the various possible EOR processes, the chemical method is one of the most promising, with the potential to increase recovery rates by 20%.
The workshop’s participants recalled the main issues related to the development of chemical EOR:
• The need for a high level of interaction between the disciplines of geosciences, chemistry and surface engineering to ensure the success of such operations;
• Ongoing R&D to overcome the major obstacles, in particular:
– development of chemical formulations suited to difficult reservoir conditions, such as high temperatures, high salinities, carbonates, etc.;
– development of simulation tools on a variety of scales (laboratory, pilot, field);
– optimization of the cycle for produced water used in the context of EOR.
Boasting over 25 years of EOR experience as well as simulation expertise, IFPEN is a key player in this field today. In 2010, IFPEN signed a strategic partnership with Beicip Franlab and Solvay (The Chemical EOR Alliance™). This alliance offers oil operators tailor-made EOR solutions, adapted to the specific characteristics of a given field.
Upstream of this industrial partnership, IFPEN aims to ensure its research is strongly positioned in this area. As part of this work, IFPEN is developing highly innovative high-throughput screening (HTS) techniques with its partner, Solvay, aimed at optimizing the EOR process in a short time.
IFPEN is also developing a complete chemical EOR module in its PumaFlow™ software on dynamic reservoir simulation. Marketed by Beicip Franlab, this software makes it possible to use the same physics from a laboratory scale to a field scale.
Finally, working in partnership with international oil industry players, IFPEN has initiated some ambitious studies designed to gain a clearer understanding of the impact of chemical EOR on surface water treatment facilities. Furthermore, this program is due to be extended from September 2013 via the launch of the DOLPHIN™ JIP (Joint Industry Project). Scheduled to last three years, this laboratory program will be open to all oil operators and will study the impact of chemical EOR on water management.
In addition to chemical recovery methods, IFPEN is also examining the development of processes combining several EOR processes, such as CO2/chemical or thermal/chemical methods, the aim being to improve their efficiency.