An analysis of nitrogen EOR screening criteria parameters based on the up-to-date review

Enhanced oil recovery (EOR) methods are generally applied in the tertiary mode to the depleted oil reservoir to increase the recovery factor through enhanced microscopic displacement and macroscopic sweep efficiency. Choosing a specific EOR method for a candidate reservoir characterized by specific rock and fluid properties is governed by standard EOR screening criteria. It is not uncommon that EOR researchers to come up with innovative ideas and/or good reservoir engineering practices to extend the applicability of those methods beyond that specified by the standard criteria. As per the standard criteria., nitrogen EOR can work at its best in deeper reservoirs where the chemical and thermal method fails. Further, nitrogen EOR is preferred for light oil characterized by low viscosity, high gravity, and the presence of lighter components so that miscibility needed for enhancing the microscopic displacement could be achieved. Regarding the sweep efficiency, thin reservoirs are preferred to avoid gravity override due to the low viscosity and density of nitrogen. Despite the abundance of nitrogen and advancements made to the nitrogen-based EOR, no significant efforts were made to analyze whether those advancements have exceeded the standard screening criteria.

This paper attempts to narrow this gap. Initially, a detailed compilation of the relevant nitrogen EOR work performed at the laboratory, pilot, and field scale is done by extracting the results from the available literature. Then the rock and fluid properties reported in each of the compiled works are compared with that of the standard criteria's stipulation to identify and classify the parameters that are exceeding and those not exceeding the standard criteria. Then a comparative analysis is done using the reported recovery factor to provide a statement for each compilation whether those exceeding parameters have indeed improved the nitrogen EOR performance. Based on the conducted study, properties such as oil viscosity, oil gravity, thickness, and oil composition, could be exceeded only when the depth is conducive to generating high pressure. The inert nature of nitrogen makes high pressure an important requirement for inducing miscibility and therefore, the reservoir depth of more than 6000 ft, stipulated in the standard criteria remains a must for an efficient nitrogen EOR process that targets microscopic displacement efficiency. Overall, depth and therefore the pressure requirement is a major influencing factor for nitrogen EOR to operate in its best miscible mode. Most of the recent studies were conducted at high pressures in order to induce miscible flooding pressure for increasing the oil recovery.