Tight Oil EOR

Tight oil reservoirs, characterized by extremely low permeability and complex pore structures, pose significant challenges to conventional recovery methods. Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) techniques, such as gas injection, chemical flooding, and thermal methods, have emerged as promising solutions to improve oil recovery in these unconventional resources. Tight oil EOR not only enhances hydrocarbon production but also contributes to long-term energy sustainability and the efficient utilization of unconventional resources. 

Our research group has conducted diverse studies on tight oil EOR, exploring advanced methods to enhance oil recovery. We have modeled the impact of permeability heterogeneity and relative permeability hysteresis on cyclic CO₂ injection efficiency, demonstrating its potential for both oil recovery and CO₂ storage. Our work also includes developing digital core analysis methods using CT scanning and SEM imaging for pore-scale characterization, enabling accurate modeling of fluid transport properties in tight reservoirs. Additionally, we have studied gas slippage and condensation effects on permeability in nano-porous media, as well as applying nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) techniques for permeability estimation​. Experimental projects include evaluating cyclic gas injection processes and simulating fluid dynamics in hydraulic fractures using compositional reservoir models. 

Our findings contribute to improved understanding and optimization of EOR strategies in tight oil reservoirs. By integrating experimental data with advanced simulations, we aim to refine EOR methodologies and reduce uncertainties associated with reservoir heterogeneity and phase behavior. Future efforts will focus on scaling up successful methods for field applications and developing hybrid EOR techniques tailored to the unique challenges of tight oil formations.