The contribution of low temperature oxidation of heavy crude oil to oil displacement efficiency during air injection in low permeability reservoirs

Abstract

The effects of different oxygen-containing air on enhanced oil recovery were evaluated by artificial cores with low permeability in displacement experiments. The results show that with the increment of oxygen content, more crude oil could be driven at the higher temperature and pressure, but the effect of oxygen concentration on oil displacement efficiency will be opposite at lower reaction temperatures. The reason is that the mechanism of low temperature oxidation of reservoir crude oil on enhanced recovery of gas drive is different under different temperature and pressure conditions. The results can be used as an experimental reference for the feasibility of air injection to enhance oil recovery in low permeability reservoirs.

Keywords:

• contribution rate
• heavy crude oil
• low permeability
• low temperature oxidation
• recovery factor

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the PetroChina Daqing Oilfield under Grant [2017ZX05071-006].