What Is EOR, and How Does It Work?
Enhancing Oil Recovery Enhancing Oil Recovery Oil production is separated into three phases: primary, secondary and tertiary, which is also known as Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR). Primary oil recovery is limited to hydrocarbons that naturally rise to the surface, or those that use artificial lift devices, such as pump jacks. Secondary recovery employs water and gas injection, displacing the oil and driving it to the surface. According to the US Department of Energy, utilizing these two methods of production can leave up to 75% of the oil in the well. The way to further increase oil production is through the tertiary recovery method or EOR. Although more expensive to employ on a field, EOR can increase production from a well to up to 75% recovery. Used in fields that exhibit heavy oil, poor permeability and irregular faultlines, EOR entails changing the actual properties of the hydrocarbons, which further distinguishes this phase of recovery from the secondary recovery method. While...