Upstream technology advancements often materialize during hard times for industry, such as low oil prices, various speakers told the Improved Oil Recovery conference in Tulsa sponsored by the Society of Petroleum Engineers Mid-Continent Section.
The biennial IOR, involves petroleum scientists, engineers, and service providers focused on advancing knowledge and technology to improve and enhance oil and gas recovery.
Janeen Judah, SPE 2017 president-elect and general manager for Chevron Corp.'s Southern Africa business unit, told reporters after an Apr. 12 luncheon speech that she personally believes some key emerging IOR tech advancements are cost-effective polymers and successful field pilots using nanoparticles.
Nanoparticles were the subject of SPE paper 179677, "Application of nanofluids for improving oil mobility in heavy oil and extra heavy oil: a field test." It outlined the field evaluation of nanofluids for improving oil mobility in Colombia's heavy oil fields Castilla and Chichimene.
The authors for that paper were R. Zabala of Ecopetrol along with C.A. Franco and F.B. Cortes from the National University of Colombia.
The size of nanoparticles makes them valuable in IOR applications. Nanofluids, sometimes called smart fluids, are designed by scientists who have found that they can adjust the properties of nanoparticles.
Plenary speakers opening the conference also stressed the importance of continuing field trials on emerging IOR technology despite the oil-price slump.
Lee S. Mathis, Chevron Energy Technology Co. manager of IOR projects, said, "We don't want to get in a bind because we slowed down and not be able to catch up in time." Producers need to be prepared for higher oil prices when the rebound comes, he said.
"We can do research and development, but we do need to take the technology to the field."
Mathis also urged some of the 525 registered conference participants "to keep a clear line of sight between technology and asset-decision points."
Acknowledging industry cuts budgets during oil-price slumps, Mathis advocated that companies avoid diminishing the quality of its IOR work during difficult economic times.
Industry needs to maintain the discipline to do its core analysis the proper way, he said. Safety and environmental issues remain important for IOR project operators as well as educating the public about chemicals involved in IOR projects.
"As soon as somebody in the community hears the word chemicals and oil companies, they get nervous," Mathis said, citing public concerns about possible water contamination from fracturing fluids.
Gary Pope, University of Texas at Austin petroleum professor, noted the best reservoir engineers have experience from their younger days when they worked experiments in laboratories.
"We have to have experimental labs staffed with people who know what they are doing," Pope said, adding that applied industrywide and not just to IOR. "We have fewer laboratories now."
Tom Thurmond, Breitburn Energy LLP senior vice-president of operations, said smaller producers currently are focusing on survival and "making one good decision at a time."
He said enhanced oil recovery project profit margins have fallen 80-85% since 2014.
In response to a news conference question about the exit of technical expertise as older engineers retire, Judah said she believes many retiring engineers and geoscientists will continue to help industry as consultants, teachers, and technical authors.
"The big crew change is happening right now. Most of them will still be around," in some capacity, Judah said of industry people she knows who are retiring.