The U.S. Department of Energy has received 35 proposals from industry on how to keep deltaic reservoirs on production.
DOE has earmarked $40 million to fund as much as half the cost of selected projects that enhance production from fluvial dominated deltaic reservoirs, common to 11 of the most prolific U.S. oil producing states. Winning projects will be named in April (OGJ, Oct. 28, 1991, p. 30).
A DOE spokesman said, "Our objective is to give operators, particularly independents, a broader menu of oil field options that can keep endangered reservoirs in production. This ultimately will maximize the nation's oil production."
DOE plans as many as nine more such competitions aimed at other types of reservoirs. It began with fluvial dominated deltaic reservoirs because of "the large remaining quantities of oil in the reservoirs and their high risk of imminent abandonment."
Of the 35 proposals, 23 are for near term methods that can be applied within 5 years, and 12 are for midterm projects. DOE plans to fund as many as 10 near term projects in the first round. It said the techniques reflect a wide range of approaches. Some of them already are in limited use.
It plans to fund as many as four midterm projects.
Many of the techniques proposed for these projects have been tested only on small scales.
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