How can you make enhanced oil recovery more sustainable?

1 Reduce water and energy use

EOR often involves injecting water, steam, gas, or chemicals into the reservoir to improve the flow of oil. However, these processes can consume a lot of water and energy, which can increase the greenhouse gas emissions and water stress of the oil industry. To make EOR more sustainable, you can try to reduce the water and energy use by optimizing the injection rates, recycling the fluids, using renewable energy sources, and applying digital technologies to monitor and control the operations.

2 Minimize waste and emissions

EOR can also generate waste and emissions that can harm the environment and human health. For example, some EOR methods can produce contaminated water, toxic chemicals, or excess gas that need to be treated or disposed of safely. To minimize waste and emissions, you can adopt best practices for waste management, such as using closed-loop systems, reusing or selling the by-products, and implementing carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies.

3 Enhance reservoir management

EOR can also affect the reservoir quality and performance over time. For example, some EOR methods can alter the reservoir pressure, temperature, or chemistry, which can reduce the recovery efficiency or damage the infrastructure. To enhance reservoir management, you can use advanced modelling and simulation tools to understand the reservoir dynamics, predict the outcomes, and optimize the EOR strategies. You can also use smart sensors and artificial intelligence to collect and analyze real-time data and adjust the parameters accordingly.

4 Evaluate the trade-offs

EOR can offer significant benefits for the oil industry, but it also involves trade-offs between the economic, environmental, and social aspects. For example, some EOR methods can be more costly, risky, or complex than others, which can affect the profitability and feasibility of the projects. To evaluate the trade-offs, you can use life cycle assessment (LCA) and cost-benefit analysis (CBA) tools to compare the different EOR options and their impacts on the triple bottom line.

5 Engage with stakeholders

EOR can also have implications for the stakeholders involved in or affected by the oil production. For example, some EOR methods can require more land, water, or infrastructure, which can create conflicts with the local communities, regulators, or other users. To engage with stakeholders, you can adopt a participatory approach that involves consultation, communication, and collaboration. You can also follow the principles of social license to operate (SLO), which means ensuring that your EOR activities are acceptable, legitimate, and credible to the public.

6 Innovate and learn

EOR is a dynamic and evolving field that requires constant innovation and learning. As the oil industry faces new challenges and opportunities, you need to keep up with the latest developments and best practices in EOR. You can also contribute to the knowledge and innovation of EOR by conducting research, testing new methods, and sharing your experiences and lessons learned with other professionals and organizations.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?