Development of a Carbon-Free Solar-Assisted ITM Oxy-Combustion EOR System

Among the thermal EOR technologies, in-situ combustion and down-hole heating have great potential as the emerging generation of thermal Enhancement of Oil Recovery (EOR) technologies. However, like all other thermal EOR technologies, in-situ combustion and down-hole heating require the use of huge amount of natural fuel (usually gas). Thus, all thermal EOR methods suffer from its environmental footprint due to the associated CO2 emission. Thus, the search for new thermal EOR methods such as in-situ combustion and downhole heating are thought to be the next generation thermal EOR technologies. The presently proposed research aims at developing a novel solar thermal EOR system based on ITM oxyfuel combustion and investigating its potential for use in Saudi Arabia. The proposed system comprises a solar assisted ITM-based oxy-combustion EOR system. The proposed novel system is based on in-situ oxy-combustion that is based on ITM that separates the oxygen from the air. The separated oxygen is injected into the oil well to burn part of the well oil generating the required heat for thermal EOR. The air is heated before entering to the ITM unit. The work includes the establishment of a database for the previous investigations as well as available applications for the solar thermal EOR systems. The work also includes the assessment of the performance of the solar thermal EOR system in comparison to conventional systems of steam EOR systems. Technical and economic comparison with conventional EOR systems will be carried out. A solar system (such as parabolic troughs) will be sized and evaluated. Experimental investigation of an elemental solar thermal EOR system will be conducted for a proof of concept.