I'm conducting desk study of any possible papers written on simulation of oil well enhanced oil recovery using gases other than conventional CO2, N2 and CH4. Why do we need to stick to these gases? Can we use hydrogen, or carbon monoxide or syngas (H2+N2+CO+CO2) directly and inject it into the oil well for Enhanced oil recovery? If yes, will it increase the recovery rate or decrease? or will it create more troubles inside the well?
Generally nearly any common gas or vapor can be injected including low value steam, but the cost may be greater than the value received. In some old fields injecting ambient air has been considered as the best remaining choice, giving a chance of syngas coming out of the well with hot lower viscosity oil that might not flow at lower temperature.
Enhanced oil recovery using conventional gases (CO2, N2, CH4, propane, etc) in the depleted reservoirs is a function of insitu reservoir fluids and rock properties. A gas injection is also depending upon ease and economy of gas availability, the efficiency of miscibility achievement, Temp and Pr conditions, success in IFT decrease, viscosity lowering, swelling phenomena, solubility, etc. I have no idea about the Syngas, if this particular gas has all these qualities then why not this. Moreover, a single gas is not always good and fruitful injector so may be Syngas is good for some specific type of exhaustive reservoir with a particular type of fluid (I do not know).
Firstly, carbon monoxide is highly poisonous so it is unsafe to use for EOR. In addition, you should consider the minimum miscibility pressure (MMP) of any gas before you intend to use the gas for EOR. It is better to use a gas with the lowest MMP to save cost, ensure the integrity of the facility and also safe to use. For effective EOR operation, you need a gas that can undergo first-contact or multiple contact miscibility.
Azeez Aregbe is correct. CO is highly poisonous and cannot be safely used for EOR because there is always the danger of leaks; for this reason, syngas cannot be used either, since it contains CO. Hydrogen would not be useful because it would be more prone to leaks, and could lead to embrittlement of the steel well casing, especially at EOR injection pressures.
Gas used for EOR acts as a solvent or mobilizing agent to make the oil more "flowable". CH4 would work fine, but CO2 is injected as a supercritical fluid, which is a very good solvent for crude oil. Gases, however, do a poor job of displacing oil, so EOR is usually done in water-alternating-gas (WAG) cycles in which the CO2 and water are pumped into the injection wells in alternating cycles. The CO2 makes the oil flow more easily, then the water displaces the oil, pushing it towards the producing wells.
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