Update on gas cycling economics

Pressure in tight oil pool drops quickly. But that's where gas cycling comes in.

Without AppIntel, how would you find field trials of gas cycling? When you have AppIntel, it is as simple as typing gas cycling into the KiP omni box.

One operator is cycling gas in a spent oil reservoir. He hopes to increase pressure, increase oil production rate, improve oil recovery, and get all his gas back. Can low pressure gas cycling accomplish all that?

See the operator's scheme and hopes. Help yourself to his application documents through our secure checkout.

Add reserve life

Pressure can deplete quickly in tight oil pools. Many of these pools are abandoned with millions of barrels of oil still to be recovered -- the production rate is too low.

Cheap natural gas can be used to increase reservoir pressure and add recovery. Even when injected below minimum miscibility pressure, natural gas can bring big rewards through cycling schemes.

Inject dry gas into a depleted reservoir. When the gas is produced back it brings oil with it.

Gas storage schemes also benefit

Gas storage schemes add more value with the recovered oil than by gas price arbitrage.

An operator with a gas storage scheme can store low price summer gas in a depleted oil reservoir. In the winter, he can produce the gas back out of the reservoir and sell it into a high price market.

But much of the extra value comes from the oil produced out of the reservoir with the gas in the winter production phase.

Watch out for gas injection traps

Gas injection is a good idea and very cost effective. But most people are not familiar with this type of pool production scenario.

There have been some spectacular gas cycling failures. If you're thinking about this type of enhanced recovery, call an expert.

An expert can help you get started.

An expert can help you fix a flood that isn't performing.

AppIntel: details of gas cycling schemes

AppIntel is the biggest gas cycling database in the world. It contains all the Alberta field trials of gas cycling. It shows the successes and failures of this enhanced recovery method.

AppIntel contains all the submissions of operators on this topic. It also includes all the questions and restrictions posed by the regulator. The AER is a very picky adjudicator. They dig right in and require technical justification of every project.

Tags: Tight, Gas Injection, Flood

Granger Low   5 Jun 2023

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