Enhanced Oil Recovery

CO2 injection - Hobbs, New Mexico

Occidental is an industry leader in applying enhanced oil recovery techniques to mature oil fields to recover additional reserves or prolong production after primary recovery methods have run their course. By increasing production efficiency, EOR methods can prolong the economic life of older fields by as much as 30 years.

Occidental has focused on acquiring large, long lived properties in our core areas of interest, the United States, Middle East and Latin America, and through applying new technologies has a highly successful EOR track record. Applying the right combination of new EOR technologies allows Occidental to continue to increase production in these mature fields.

EOR projects may involve gas re-injection, carbon dioxide (CO2) flooding or various horizontal drilling techniques.

The Three Stages of Oil Field Development

• Primary Recovery
  Primary recovery produces oil and gas using the natural pressure of the reservoir as the driving force to push the material to the surface. Wells are often 'stimulated' through the injection of fluids, which fracture the hydrocarbon-bearing formation to improve the flow of oil and gas from the reservoir to the wellhead. Other techniques, such as pumping and gas lift help production when the reservoir pressure dissipates.
• Secondary Recovery
  Secondary recovery uses other mechanisms - such as gas reinjection and water flooding - to produce residual oil and gas remaining after the primary recovery phase.
• Tertiary Recovery
  Tertiary recovery involves injecting other gases (such as carbon dioxide), or heat (steam or hot water) to stimulate oil and gas flow to produce remaining fluids that were not extracted during primary or secondary recovery phases.

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