Thermally-enhanced oil recovery from stranded fields: Synergy potential for geothermal and oil exploitation

Abstract

Production of oil and gas in the Netherlands is in a mature stage. Production decrease coincides with an increased interest in geothermal energy production as an alternative source of energy in the Netherlands. Deep geo- thermal projects target the same reservoir space as the oil and gas industry, with aquifers between 1500 and 4000 meters depth and a temperature range from 50 to 120 ºC. Focus of the study is on the Moerkapelle stranded heavy oil field in the West Netherlands Basin (WNB). Below this stranded field a geothermal reservoir with a temperature above 100 ºC is located. In the present study we demonstrate sensitivity analyses of the synergy potential of thermally-enhanced oil recovery, and geothermal energy using a 3-D two phase flow geological model. The model that accurately accounts for the pressure and temperature influences on the thermo-physical transport properties such as viscosity is applied for showing influences of the various effective parameters on the synergy potential for geothermal and oil exploitation such as injection temperature and reservoir heterogeneity. With this model it is shown that reservoir heterogeneity can reduce the efficiency of thermal heavy oil recovery factor.