Enhanced Oil Recovery from Carbonate Reservoir through Low Salinity Water Flooding-A Simulation Case Study

Abstract

Low salinity water flooding is a very famous secondary as well as tertiary recovery process. Research has proven that low salinity waterflooding is an economical and environmentally friendly process and it can give a higher amount of oil recoveries than the conventional waterflooding method. This study aims to run sensitivity analysis of water injection parameters like salt concentration, pattern selection, and injection rates. Secondly to use the pressure maintenance technique instead of pressure enhancement. The result indicated that the optimum injection rate was achieved at 6000 bbl/day with a salt concentration of 0 to 5000ppm, while high saline water indicated no or little change in production. As far as flooding pattern is concerned, single injection and single production gave the optimum results. In a nutshell, low saline waterflooding is proved to be successful in carbonate reservoirs.