Title: Carbonated water injection revisited

Authors: Chang Hong Gao

Addresses: Sinopec Shengli Research Center, Dongying, Shandong, 257000, China

Abstract: Carbon dioxide is a major greenhouse gas, but also an effective agent for enhanced oil recovery (EOR). Large scale CO₂-EOR projects are being carried out in the USA and Canada. However, such projects are not common outside North America due to limited supply of CO₂. Carbonated water injection (CWI) process is to inject water saturated with CO₂. The CO₂ in carbonated water diffuses into oil and results in oil swelling and viscosity reduction. CWI requires much less CO₂ supply. Several successful CWI field pilots were conducted in 1960s. Oil fields with good EOR potential and limited CO₂ supply should seriously consider CWI method.

Keywords: carbon dioxide; CO2; field study; carbonated water injection; CWI; enhanced oil recovery; EOR; oil swelling; viscosity reduction.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPE.2015.071058

International Journal of Petroleum Engineering, 2015 Vol.1 No.3, pp.164 - 177

Received: 04 Apr 2014
Accepted: 07 Oct 2014
Published online: 10 Aug 2015 *

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