Increased U.S. crude oil production is possible, with a new process aimed at recovering fuel from approximately 90% of previously untouched reserves.

New Method for Oil Extraction from Shale Rock Could Improve Recovery and Reduce Environmental Impact

Researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) - Department of Petroleum Engineering have developed a new method for oil extraction from shale rock that could potentially improve recovery by up to 15%. This method focuses on improving cyclic CO2 injection, a process used to enhance oil production from shale rock formations.

The underground shale environment is likened to a sponge, with nanopores effectively soaking up and retaining hydrocarbons. By introducing CO2 in oil mixtures at different pressures, the injection process helps force hydrocarbons out of nanopores and to the surface.

The injected CO2 mixes with the oil, altering its properties and improving oil mobility and extraction. Optimizing injection is challenging due to numerous variables, including the oil properties and makeup of the shale environment, that can complicate extraction. However, the researchers found that a larger volume of injected CO2 leads to greater enhanced oil recovery by enabling deeper penetration into the reservoir and more effective mixing with crude oil.

The new method's implementation could help address inefficiencies in oil extraction from shale reservoirs, potentially leaving less oil behind. The study, published in the journal Fuel, also suggests that the method could provide long-term storage for CO2 emissions.

The workflow was successfully implemented to optimize and screen cyclic CO2 injection in the Eagle Ford Shale and can be expanded for broader applications across various types of unconventional EOR (Enhanced Oil Recovery) projects. The method was successfully implemented for the Texas Eagle Ford Shale, and it can be expanded for application in other shale reservoirs.

The researchers' work could contribute to the U.S.' energy independence and security by improving the recovery of oil from shale reservoirs and reducing the environmental impact of oil extraction. The new method could be a significant step forward in the efficient and sustainable extraction of oil from shale rock formations.