Our improved recovery toolbox
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We are working every single day to increase the recovery rate of our fields. We are aiming at growing increased oil recovery throughout the whole value chain—from reservoir to platform. Our toolbox contains many different methods that can be separately or in combination.
Recovery management
- Modelling and simulation: optimal field development relies on accurate geological/ geophysical reservoir models and reliable simulations of reservoir performance.
- Imaging and monitoring: geophysical methods for reservoir modelling will have an increased demand for advanced use of sensors in wells and on the seabed.
- Recovery methods: advanced recovery methods displace more oil from pores and pore/mineral interfaces and improve the sweep of oil towards production wells.
Drilling and well
Drilling, well and intervention technology represents 38 % of the IOR potential.
- Advanced drilling: optimal exploitation of reservoirs demand smarter drilling in the hydrocarbon bearing basins.
- Advanced wells: we have implemented advanced completions in nearly every well configuration over the years, including branched (multilateral) wells and wells with multi-zone open-hole gravel packs.
- Smart well intervention: new technologies contribute to more efficient and environmental friendly well intervention.
- Standardised well solutions: future success relies on the ability to standardise, simplify and copy. This is why we’ve made standardising well solutions a priority in our efficiency drive.
Subsea technology
Subsea technology represents about one-third of our IOR potential.
- Boosting: Using subsea pumps is a critical success factor for increased recovery in our subsea fields.
- Compression: Putting massive advanced compressors—containing lots of rotating equipment and advanced compression technology—is an important step towards Equinor’s vision of the seabed factory. This is completely new—and an efficient tool for increased recovery that can also make some so-called “stranded resources” commercially viable
Platform technology
Platform technology represents about one-third of our IOR potential.
- Debottlenecking: modifications of platform equipment that upgrade the capacity or flexibility of production and processing equipment.
- Low pressure production: when a reservoir is produced, the reservoir pressure gradually decreases. This is the same pressure that pushes oil and gas resources up to the platform. By using compressors and pumps on the platform, as on Troll where 3-4 compressors boost the capacity of the gas export pipeline, we can maintain recovery rates longer while the reservoir pressure decreases.