EOR dips in U. S. but remains a significant factor

Abstract

Based on the Journal's exclusive biennial enhanced oil recovery EOR survey including heavy oil projects, and other estimates, worldwide production from enhanced oil recovery projects at the start of 1994 remained about 1.9 million b/d or about the same as at the beginning of 1992. The 1.9 million b/d represents about 3.2% of the world's oil production. Although worldwide EOR production has hit a plateau, projects in the next few years in China, Alaska, Indonesia, Canada, Venezuela, and the US Permian basin might boos the production trend upward. The Journal's current survey found US EOR production decreased by 7%, to 709,000 bo/d. This production rate is still 10% of the overall US daily oil production. The percentage remained the same because between January 1992 and January 1994, total US oil production dropped almost 400,000 bo/d to 6.9 million b/d. Total US oil production is currently about 6.6 million bo/d. The number of US EOR projects has steadily decreased since 1986 but this is the first survey showing less production from EOR projects. Twelve tables compile data on the following: US EOR production; active US EOR projects; planned EOR projects, US and non-US; producing Canadian EOR projects; completed/terminated Canadian projects; producingmore » EOR projects outside US and Canada, completed/terminated/postponed projects outside US and Canada; producing thermal EOR US projects; producing CO[sub 2] gas EOR US projects; producing chemical and microbial EOR US projects; completed/terminated/postponed/delayed US projects; and producing worldwide heavy oil EOR projects.« less