EOR - CO2 Injection: Does it really benefit the enviroment?
EOR - CO2 Injection: Does it really benefit the enviroment?
(OP)
CO2 injection is becoming more and more famous as an enhanced oil recovery (EOR) method. If I'm not mistaken, CO2 also dissolves in the oil, reduces its viscosity hence easing the extraction process.
But wouldn't this mean that the CO2 would come back to the surface again? And as a consequence of this:
1. Wouldn't the concentration of CO2 in the oil be effectively increased, hence requiring an addition necessity of having a CO2 removal unit on the topside?
2. Since CO2 is being brought back to the surface, what logic would this method possess in terms of global warming mitigation then? After all, even if the CO2 concentration in the oil is negligible and facilitation of a CO2 removal process is not necessary, it will still be released during combustion of the fuel.
Cheers!
But wouldn't this mean that the CO2 would come back to the surface again? And as a consequence of this:
1. Wouldn't the concentration of CO2 in the oil be effectively increased, hence requiring an addition necessity of having a CO2 removal unit on the topside?
2. Since CO2 is being brought back to the surface, what logic would this method possess in terms of global warming mitigation then? After all, even if the CO2 concentration in the oil is negligible and facilitation of a CO2 removal process is not necessary, it will still be released during combustion of the fuel.
Cheers!





RE: EOR - CO2 Injection: Does it really benefit the enviroment?
Steve Jones
Materials & Corrosion Engineer
http://www.pdo.co.om/pdo/
RE: EOR - CO2 Injection: Does it really benefit the enviroment?
With SJones answer and this one you have a complete image, but if you want to go further, you can read “Practical Aspects of CO2 Flooding”, By Perry Jarrell, Charles Fox, Michael Stein, Steven Webb from SPE library.
Best regards,
Andrei
RE: EOR - CO2 Injection: Does it really benefit the enviroment?
I browsed through the elibrary and I can't find any information on the above quoted title. I found that it is actually a short course. Do they normally put it as a reading material in the elibrary?
I'm interested to know more about the surface facility design and operation.
RE: EOR - CO2 Injection: Does it really benefit the enviroment?
“Practical Aspects of CO2 Flooding” is a book from SPE monograph series. I have that book from:
https:
Surface facility design and operations you can find in chapter 5.
Best regards,
Andrei
RE: EOR - CO2 Injection: Does it really benefit the enviroment?
RE: EOR - CO2 Injection: Does it really benefit the enviroment?
I'm a reservoir engineer and from professional point of view my interest in this is as an EOR method. But as a human being, I think nothing is more important than environment. The previous reply was just a technical answer to a technical question.
Best regards,
Andrei
RE: EOR - CO2 Injection: Does it really benefit the enviroment?
If it has an environmental benefit, I am sure the producers will definitely highlight it. Ultimately, if it is not useful for EOR, most procuders would not be doing it.
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RE: EOR - CO2 Injection: Does it really benefit the enviroment?
Steve Jones
Materials & Corrosion Engineer
http://www.pdo.co.om/pdo/
RE: EOR - CO2 Injection: Does it really benefit the enviroment?
Recently, there are a couple of projects where CO2 is being injected as sequestration or disposal (ie the BP Miller Peterhead power station thing), where the EOR aspects are a bonus, but the majority of the CO2 will stay in the reservoir.