Principles of Enhanced Oil Recovery

Enhanced oil recovery (EOR) processes are very important for us to maintain the production of oilfields. This chapter first introduces the definition and characteristics of EOR. Classification and description of EOR processes are presented. Then, thermal recovery processes are introduced, such as cyclic steam stimulation, steamdrive, and in situ combustion. Then the chapter discusses several kinds of miscible gas floodings, design procedures, and criteria of a miscible displacement process. Then it focuses on the most widely used EOR process in China, named chemical flooding, especially polymer flooding. Finally, the chapter introduces MEOR (Microbial Enhanced Oil Recovery) process, which is believed to be profound in the future.