Supercritical Fluid Enhanced Oil Recovery

Oil recovery rates using classical techniques mainly based on injecting water are limited and do not exceed 30%, hence the need to explore alternatives. The present study is a short review concerning the different steps to consider from the laboratory to the real site scales of an enhanced oil recovery using supercritical carbon dioxide. In fact the introduction of this non conventional technique has many advantages, like avoiding the use of huge quantities of water, hence the preservation of this valuable resource, the valorization of CO2 avoiding its release into the atmosphere, hence reducing the climate change problems, important enhanced oil recovery rates up to 80% can be achieved, etc. Consequently this is a challenging matter both from the economic and environmental point of views.

I. INTRODUCTION

Currently it is well established throughout the world that hydrocarbons of fossil origin are still of extreme importance. The most recent predictions indicate a world oil demand exceeding 100 million barrels per day.