Abstract

A number of Enhanced Oil Recovery processes have been and are being currently developed for increasing the ultimate recovery of oil and gas from depleted or partially depleted reservoirs. These EOR processes are commonly subdivided into chemical, thermal and miscible methods. A discussion of these methods and their applicability to Indonesian conditions is undertaken.

Many Indonesian oil fields are now in a mature stage of production with declining primary production.

With exploratory drilling currently at an ebb because of the low and uncertain oil price, and the statistical likelihood of finding new large fields diminishing, the importance of maximizing the development of existing reserves is increasing. This trend is occurring in mature areas such as North America, where EOR is contributing an ever-increasing percentage of total production. In Indonesia, very few EOR projects have been undertaken. However many existing reservoirs that have the physical criteria, when combined with the availability of essential raw materials, may lend themselves to efficient, viable EOR production. This paper discusses Indonesian reservoirs. These screening procedures include laboratory and computer simulation techniques as well as the utilization of basic geological, reservoir and fluid data.