Elk Petroleum Ltd. said enhanced oil recovery flooding has started at Grieve field’s carbon dioxide EOR project near Casper, Wyo. Initially water is being produced, which will be followed by oil production that is anticipated to ramp up to about 2,100 b/d by Dec. 31.
Third-party engineers suggest gross oil production could peak at more than 3,400 b/d within 13 months, Elk said.
Based in Sydney, Elk said its joint venture partner, Denbury Resources of Plano, Tex., constructed the EOR infrastructure. Elk has a 49% non-operated working interest in Grieve while Denbury holds 51% operated interest.
Grieve begun producing oil in the 1950s but its production had dropped, making it an EOR candidate. Grieve has not produced oil since July 2012, Wyoming Oil & Gas Conservation Commission statistics showed.