Enhanced oil recovery brings end to slide

[TransitJohn]

By DUSTIN BLEIZEFFER
Star-Tribune energy reporter Monday, January 31, 2005




Pumping units -- those metal dinosaurs incessantly bobbing their heads at the ground -- are disappearing in Wyoming, along with shrinking oil reserves.

They're disappearing by the dozens in the 100-year-old Salt Creek field 45 miles north of Casper, clearing the landscape for the next generation of production technology: carbon dioxide flooding.

The metal rocking horses are replaced with simple well heads and pressure equipment. Imagine the five spot on a domino. CO2 and water is injected into the center dot, pushing more oil out of the four surrounding dots.

And in this manner, enhanced oil recovery will stop the decline of oil production in Wyoming this year for the first time in two decades, according to industry officials.

"We're retrofitting a 100-year-old oil field, so we're not disturbing new lands," said Rick Robitaille, spokesman for Anadarko Petroleum. "By rejuvenating these historic fields, we will help slow -- if not stem -- that (oil production) decline for a while."

The flow of Wyoming crude oil has steadily dwindled an average 5 percent each year since the drilling bust of 1985. During that time, coal and natural gas development grew to fill in the state's mineral-based economic foundation as oil trickled out.

If oil's retreat is delayed, it would maintain an annual flow of 50-plus million barrels of production and nearly $130 million in property and severance taxes into state coffers.

"These new enhanced oil recovery projects, if they are as successful as we hope, could in fact flatten out the depletion curve for as long as they are on line," Wyoming State Geologist Ron Surdam said.


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more........
http://www.casperstartribune.net/articles/2005/01/31/news/wyoming/e066f5c59f08d0f087256f99002677ba.txt

[hatrack]

1. Yes, those vast Wyoming reserves . . .

"These new enhanced oil recovery projects, IF they are as successful as we hope, could in fact flatten out the depletion curve for as long as they are on line," Wyoming State Geologist Ron Surdam said." (emphasis added).

[bemildred]

2. The weasel wording of this is interesting.

"we will help slow -- if not stem -- that (oil production) decline for a while."
"could in fact flatten out the depletion curve for as long as they are on line"

[rustydad]

3. Sure

The "peak" flatens with new recovery techniques but then falls off much faster. Still gonna be hell for the next generation. Bob

[DavidDvorkin]

4. As long as oil stays high

All such techniques add to the cost of the extracted oil and thus are dependent on high oil prices to be profitable. So even it keeps Wyoming and similar areas producing for a bit longer, it doesn't help the consumer.