Gas Injection
"Thanks to productivity gains from advanced E&P technology, the oil and gas industry has dramatically increased the ultimate recovery of resources from existing fields"
- (U.S. Department of Energy).
Gas injection, also referred to as a gas lift, is a process used to draw oil from depressurized wells by injecting gas to increase reservoir pressure. It is one of the most effective ways to maximize production rates in low pressure oil wells. In fact, gas injection accounts for nearly 50% of Extended Oil Recovery (EOR) production in the United States (U.S. Dept. of Energy).
Gas injection works by injecting a gas (natural gas, carbon dioxide (CO2), or nitrogen) into the reservoir to increase pressure and reduce viscosity. Increasing pressure within the formation pushes oil toward the production wellbore, while reducing viscosity allows the oil to flow more easily. Viscosity is reduced when certain gases, such as carbon dioxide (CO2), dissolve into the oil and cause oil to flow more easily. Gas may be injected continuously or intermittently, depending on the producing characteristics of the well and the arrangement of the gas-lift equipment.
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