In this study, detailed petrophysical and geological field models focusing on the middle and lower members of the Bakken Formation were developed on the basis of field characterization, well-log interpretation, and laboratory core analysis by scanning-electron-microscopy, ultraviolet-fluorescence, and standard-optical-microscopy techniques. A fine-scale model with a pair of horizontal wells was extracted from the initial model (Bailey area) to examine the potential effectiveness of oil-recovery techniques based on carbon dioxide (CO2) injection. The results show that CO2 injection may play a significant role in increasing oil production.
Introduction
Small improvements in productivity could increase technically recoverable oil in the Bakken by billions of barrels. While the use of CO2 in conventional reservoirs is a widely applied and well-understood practice, its use for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) in tight oil reservoirs is a relatively new concept.
