Abstract:

The oil production in the Cuu Long basin has been mainly based on natural energy sources or additional water injection with the oil recovery factor less than 0.5. The amount of remaining oils in the produced reservoirs is massive, approximately 480 million tons of oil equivelent. EOR solutions to produce the remaining oils play a significant role in maintaining oil production at the Cuu Long basin. This paper examined theoretical basis, mechanisms and distribution of remaining oil after water injection period, and analyzed the opportunities and challenges of EOR for the oil fields in the Cuu Long basin. The results of the EOR research at White Tiger oil field reveals that the oil recovery factors have increased by approximately 12% for both methods: surfactant injection for sandstones and water-alternating-gas injection for fractured granitoid.