The Hindu Business Line : Experiment to enhance secondary recovery rates from oil wells

THE Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) has chosen wells in the Cambay basin for a novel experiment. It involves the use of a technique that promises to increase the recovery of oil multi-fold.

In economic terms, it could mean, earning crores of rupees. In scientific terms, it would mean, establishing the feasibility of the technique in the low-yielding Indian oil fields.

The scientific technique, demonstrated by the Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, has been established in Norway, where the secondary recovery rates from oil wells have increased up to 60 per cent.

Now, the Hyderabad-based National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI) has, through a joint collaboration, absorbed the technique and it proposes to try it in Cambay basin with the help of the Norwegian team, according to Dr V.P. Dimri, Director of NGRI.

The NGRI, the Norwegian University and ONGC had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in Oslo in September, when the Petroleum Minister, Mr Mani Shankar Aiyar, visited that country.

Following this, ONGC has entrusted select wells in the Cambay basin to NGRI to carry out the experiments. The recovery rate in these wells is well below the average recovery rate of 26 per cent in the ONGC oil wells, Dr Dimri told Business Line.

A team of NGRI scientists has visited the region and held discussions with the ONGC officials.

If the secondary yield can be raised by 15-20 per cent, it would virtually mean a new oil field, Dr Dimri said.The need for the secondary recovery technique is because oil is often viscous.

Traditionally, water is injected to dilute the viscous oil and aid in its easy recovery.

In Norway, carbon dioxide, captured from the atmosphere near the oil wells itself is used for the purpose.

The NGRI also proposes to use this method, called Carbon dioxide Sequestration to get better results, Dr Dimri said.

Article E-Mail :: Comment :: Syndication :: Printer Friendly Page