Surface-Facilities Design for First CO2 EOR Project in Saudi Arabia

A demonstration project of carbon capture, utilization, and storage through enhanced oil recovery was conducted in Saudi Arabia. Surface facilities for such projects are expensive to build and involve tradeoffs in options based on economics for a given set of conditions.

August 22, 2018

Oil and Gas Facilities

The high-pressure production trap at the gas/oil separation plant. Source: SPE 185836.

A demonstration project of carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) through enhanced oil recovery (EOR) was conducted in Saudi Arabia. The main objectives of the project are quantifying the amount of carbon dioxide (CO₂) sequestered in the reservoir; addressing the risks and uncertainties involved, including remaining oil saturation and the migration of CO₂ within the reservoir; identifying operational concerns; and estimating the incremental oil recovery (beyond waterflooding). This paper covers the details of the overall facilities design.

Introduction

CO₂ is a great injectant for EOR—for environmental, technical, and economic reasons. It is an excellent solvent, especially for light crudes, and can considerably enhance overall oil recovery. CO₂ swells the oil and reduces oil viscosity significantly.

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