DTI urges CO2 use in EOR programs to reduce greenhouse emissions

By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Apr. 12 -- The UK is urging North Sea developers, electric power generators, and oil producers to implement a plan for capturing and sequestering carbon dioxide for use in enhanced oil recovery as a way to reduce greenhouse emissions while improving production.

To this end, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) released a White Paper Thursday specifying interim actions for including EOR as a facet in developing an overall strategy for carbon capture and storage (CCS), which it said is central to the development of zero to near-zero emissions from fossil fuel combustion. The main option for storing CO₂ is through geo-sequestration in oil reservoirs, depleted gas fields, and saline aquifers.

Although CO₂-based EOR is widely used in North America, there currently is little interest in it among North Sea oil producers under present market conditions; therefore a full implementation plan has not yet been developed. But the report, "Implementing a demonstration of enhanced oil recovery using carbon dioxide," indicates that CO₂ for EOR could play a significant role in future demonstrations of CCS and should be considered as part of an integrated strategy for developing CCS technologies.