Challenges:

Maximization of ultimate recovery from Kuwait’s reservoirs will require the application of improved hydrocarbon recovery methods. Infill drilling, and the use of artificial lift are already common, whilst water flooding is on the increase. The selection of the right secondary recovery methods is crucial in order to achieve maximum production efficiency whilst managing water and energy resources. The understanding of internal reservoir architecture through integrated subsurface evaluation techniques is a pre-requisite for success. Whilst an exercise to screen Kuwait’s reservoirs for EOR has been conducted, EOR is presently in its infancy. In common with secondary recovery, EOR requires strong reservoir characterization, augmented with a deep understanding of fluid flows in the formation, and the potential reaction of the reservoir to injectant fluids.

Research Objectives:

The Improved Hydrocarbon Recovery Platform is a cross-disciplinary integrated platform with many activities under other Platforms contributing to success. The key research objectives included under the Improved Hydrocarbon Recovery Platform are:

• To develop the appropriate methods to maximize recovery from conventional reservoirs
• To develop methods to monitor the progress of injectant flood fronts in the reservoir
• To establish procedures to understand multiphase flow in the reservoir

Research Programs:

The Improved Hydrocarbon Recovery Platform comprises two Programs:

1. Secondry Recovery: Comprises research into appropriate secondary recovery techniques, particularly water flooding, and to develop technologies and procedures for the monitoring of fluid variations in the reservoir.
2. EOR: Comprises screening of established EOR technologies and research into the impact of injectants on the reservoir, and research into new EOR methods that may be relevant to Kuwait.