EOR Flashcards
1
Q
A measure of the amount of acidic components present in a crude oil
A
acid number
2
Q
In a system with two immiscible fluids in contact with a solid, the difference in the two fluid-solid surface tensions
A
adhesion tension
3
Q
The property of some solids and liquids to attract a liquid or a gas to their surfaces
A
adsorption
4
Q
An enhanced oil recovery technique in which an alkaline chemical such as sodium hydroxide, sodium orthosilicate or sodium carbonate is injected during polymer flooding or waterflooding operations
A
alkaline flooding
5
Q
A chemical enhanced oil recovery flood that uses two sources of surfactant and a polymer
A
ASP flooding / alkaline-surfactant-polymer flooding
6
Q
A specific gravity scale developed by the American Petroleum Institute (API) for measuring the relative density of various petroleum liquids, expressed in degrees
A
API gravity
7
Q
In a reservoir waterflood or other fluid injection using a well pattern, the fraction of the pattern area from which reservoir fluid is displaced by the injected phase at the time of breakthrough
A
areal displacement efficiency / areal sweep efficiency
8
Q
The minimum concentration of solvent injected into a reservoir oil at a given test pressure and temperature that causes asphaltene particles to precipitate from the oil
A
asphaltene onset concentration
9
Q
As pressure decreases, the pressure at a given test temperature that first causes asphaltene to precipitate from a reservoir fluid
A
asphaltene onset pressure
10
Q
The flocculation of asphaltene particles from reservoir fluid
A
asphaltene precipitation
11
Q
Organic materials consisting of aromatic and naphthenic ring compounds containing nitrogen, sulfur and oxygen molecules
A
asphaltenes
12
Q
A laboratory test to determine the phase envelope between oil and enriched gas
A
backward multiple-contact test
13
Q
The pumping of a specific amount of treatment fluid, such as cement slurry, stimulation fluid, well completion fluid or chemical corrosion inhibitor
A
batch treatment
14
Q
A type of corrosion in which two different metals are placed in contact in a corrosive environment
A
bimetallic corrosion
15
Q
A dimensionless group used in analysis of fluid flow that characterizes the ratio of gravitational forces to surface or interfacial tension forces
A
Bond number / Eötvös number
16
Q
A description of reservoir conditions under which a fluid, previously isolated or separated from production, gains access to a producing wellbore
A
breakthrough
17
Q
An oil or gas accumulation that has matured to a production plateau or even progressed to a stage of declining production
A
brownfield
v
18
Q
The pressure and temperature conditions at which the first bubble of gas comes out of solution in oil
A
bubble point
19
Q
A dimensionless group used in analysis of fluid flow that characterizes the ratio of viscous forces to surface or interfacial tension forces
A
capillary number
20
Q
A technique used to minimize the rate of corrosion of a structure
A
cathodic protection
21
Q
A general term for injection processes that use special chemical solutions
A
chemical flooding
22
Q
A general term for injection processes that use special chemical solutions to improve oil recovery, remove formation damage, clean blocked perforations or formation layers, reduce or inhibit corrosion, upgrade crude oil, or address crude oil flow-assurance issues
A
chemical injection
23
Q
The change in the Gibbs free energy (G) of a system when an infinitesimally small amount of a component is added under constant pressure (P) and temperature (T) while keeping the mass of the other components of the system unchanged
A
chemical potential
24
Q
A type of damage in which formation permeability is reduced because of the alteration of clay equilibrium
A
clay swelling
25
An enhanced oil recovery method in which carbon dioxide (CO2) is injected into a reservoir to increase production by reducing oil viscosity and providing miscible or partially miscible displacement of the oil
CO2 injection
26
Any thin material, liquid or powder, which, applied over a structure, forms a continuous film to protect against corrosion
coating
27
A void in the pipe coating
coating flaw
28
An in situ combustion technique in which water is injected simultaneously or alternately with air into a formation
COFCAW / wet combustion / in situ steam generation
29
An insoluble organic deposit that has low hydrogen content, formed by thermal cracking and distillation during in-situ combustion
coke / pyrobitumen
30
A non-thermal primary process for producing heavy oil, continuous production of sand improves the recovery of heavy oil from the reservoir
CHOPS / cold heavy oil production with sand
31
In matrix stimulation, a characteristic of rock that indicates formation permeability is not reduced when treating fluids and their additives contact the formation minerals or fluids inside the reservoir
compatibility
32
A natural gas liquid with a low vapor pressure compared with natural gasoline and liquefied petroleum gas
condensate
33
A laboratory test usually performed as part of a routine PVT analysis that measures the change in volume of a reservoir fluid as a function of pressure
constant composition expansion
34
The angle of intersection of the interface between two fluids at a solid surface
contact angle
35
A laboratory test in which a fluid or combination of fluids is injected into a sample of rock
coreflooding
36
The loss of metal due to chemical or electrochemical reactions, which could eventually destroy a structure
corrosion
37
The measures used to prevent or considerably reduce the effects of corrosion
corrosion control
38
A type of corrosion in which the metal components of a structure fail due to cyclic stresses applied in a corrosive environment, such as salt water
corrosion fatigue
39
In matrix treatments, a chemical added to acid that adsorbs on the pipe surface to form a protective film
corrosion inhibitor
40
The weight loss of a corrosion coupon after exposure to a corrosive environment, expressed as mils (thousandths of an inch) per year penetration
corrosion rate
41
A chemical used in small quantities to improve the effectiveness of a primary solvent in a chemical process
cosolvent
42
A chemical added to a process to enhance the effectiveness of a surfactant
cosurfactant
43
A near-wellbore area where injected fluids such as acids can restore original permeability
critical matrix
44
A technique for measuring a signal that is broadcast from a transmitter or source located in one well, to a receiver array placed in a neighboring well
crosswell tomography / interwell tomography
45
Natural or induced production impairments that can develop in the reservoir, the near-wellbore area, the perforations, the gravel-pack completion or the production pipelines, such as the tubing
damage
46
The ability of a chemical agent to remove a contaminant from a solid surface
detergency
47
The pressure at which the first condensate liquid comes out of solution in a gas condensate
dew point
48
The process by which particles move over time within a material due to their kinetic motion
diffusion
49
A common coating problem in which the protective coating detaches from the pipeline
disbonding
50
Spatial separation of components within a fluid, driven by diffusion, mixing or differential flow
dispersion
51
The fraction of oil that has been recovered from a zone swept by a waterflood or other displacement process
displacement efficiency
52
The interface between an injectant and the fluid it is displacing
displacement front / flood front
53
The process of forcing a nonwetting phase into a porous rock
drainage
54
An in situ combustion technique in which only air or oxygen-enriched air mixtures are injected into a formation
dry combustion
55
A type of in situ combustion in which the burning front moves in the same direction as the injected air
dry forward combustion
56
A dynamic fluid-mixing process in which an injected gas exchanges components with in situ oil until the phases achieve a state of miscibility within the mixing zone of the flood front
dynamic miscibility / multiple-contact miscibility
57
With reference to formation evaluation, the layer between a clay particle and the formation water that has a particular distribution of ions
electrical double layer
58
An instrument used in a corrosion testing to determine metal loss
electrical resistance probe
59
A process to increase thermal energy in a reservoir using electromagnetic means
electromagnetic heating
60
A type of damage in which there is a combination of two or more immiscible fluids, including gas, that will not separate into individual components
emulsion
61
A dispersion of droplets of one liquid in another liquid with which it is incompletely miscible
emulsion
62
An oil recovery enhancement method using sophisticated techniques that alter the original properties of oil
EOR / enhanced oil recovery
63
The adjustments that must be made to log measurements to bring them back to the standard conditions for which the tool has been characterized
environmental corrections
64
An equation that specifies fluid density as a function of pressure and temperature
equation of state
65
A type of corrosion produced when easily removed scales (such as iron carbonate) that were initially protecting the metals in the pipe are eroded and the underlying metals are corroded
erosion corrosion
66
The amount of oil and gas expected to be economically recovered from a reservoir or field by the end of its producing life
estimated ultimate recovery
67
A corrosion by-product [FeS2] formed when hydrogen sulfide [H2S] contacts the iron [Fe] present in steel
ferrous sulfide / iron oxide
68
A condition whereby the interface of two fluids, such as oil and water, bypasses sections of reservoir as it moves along, creating an uneven, or fingered, profile
fingering / viscous fingering
69
A method of thermal recovery in which a flame front is generated in the reservoir by igniting a fire at the sandface of an injection well
fire flooding
70
A condition of two fluids that are miscible that is, they form a single phase when mixed in any proportion when first brought into contact at a given pressure and temperature
first-contact miscibility
71
An injection pattern in which four input or injection wells are located at the corners of a square and the production well sits in the center
five spot
72
Also known as injection pattern, the particular arrangement of production and injection wells
flooding pattern
73
An acid mixture that generates more hydrofluoric [HF] acid as the HF is consumed
fluoboric acid
74
An enhanced oil recovery process in which foam is injected into a reservoir to improve the sweep efficiency of a driving fluid
foam flooding
75
An additive used in preparation of foam used as a drilling fluid
foaming agent
76
Natural or induced production impairments that can develop in the reservoir, the near-wellbore area or the perforations
formation damage
77
An organic acid [HCOOH] used in oil- and gas-well stimulation treatments
formic acid
78
A laboratory test to determine the phase envelope between lean gas and oil by equilibrating a gas sample several times with fresh samples of oil
forward multiple-contact test
79
Materials used to provide cathodic protection, made of metals such as zinc, magnesium or aluminum, which corrode more easily than the structure, thus developing enough electric current flow through the electrolyte (such as soils or water)
galvanic anodes
80
A type of reservoir-drive mechanism in which the energy for the transport and production of reservoir fluids is provided by the expansion of gas either in the gas cap or inside the oil phase
gas cap drive
81
The least common primary recovery mechanism in which the force of gravity pushes hydrocarbons out of the reservoir, into the wellbore and up to surface
gravity drainage
82
A phenomenon of multiphase flow in a reservoir in which a less dense fluid flows preferentially on the top of a reservoir unit and a more dense fluid flows at the bottom
gravity override
83
A frontal advance in which gravity and viscous forces are in equilibrium, resulting in a stable, highly efficient frontal advance
gravity-stable displacement
84
The chemical formula for the compound hydrogen chloride
HCl
85
Crude oil with high viscosity (typically above 10 cp), and high specific gravity
heavy oil / viscous oil
86
An enhanced oil recovery process utilizing compressed air that is injected into a reservoir
high-pressure air injection
87
A method of thermal recovery in which hot water is injected into a reservoir through specially distributed injection wells
hot waterflooding
88
Slang term for a cyclic process in which a well is injected with a recovery enhancement fluid and, after a soak period, the well is put back on production
huff and puff
89
A poisonous liquid acid composed of hydrogen and fluorine
hydrofluoric acid
90
A type of hydrogen-induced failure produced when hydrogen atoms enter low-strength steels that have macroscopic defects, such as laminations
hydrogen blistering
91
The process whereby hydrogen causes steel components to become less resistant to breakage and generally much weaker in tensile strength
hydrogen embrittlement
92
A type of corrosion produced when a metal absorbs hydrogen atoms
hydrogen induced failures
93
A corrosion test instrument mainly used in sour systems (for example, hydrogen sulfide or other sulfide rich environments) to determine qualitatively or semiquantitatively the corrosion of a structure
hydrogen probe
94
A number on the scale of one to 40 according to the HLB system, introduced by Griffin (1949 and 1954)
HLB number / hydrophile-lipophile balance number
95
Pertaining to an attraction for water by the surface of a material or a molecule
hydrophilic
96
Pertaining to a repulsion of water by the surface of a material or a molecule
hydrophobic
97
The process of absorbing a wetting phase into a porous rock
imbibition
98
Pertaining to a condition in which two fluids are incapable of forming molecularly distributed mixtures or attaining homogeneity at that scale
immiscible
99
Materials to provide cathodic protection, relatively inert to corrosion and require an external power source to generate the electric current that will bring cathodic protection to the structure
impressed current anodes
100
A method for recovering additional oil beyond fluid expansion, rock compressibility, gravitational drainage, pressure decline and natural waterdrive or gasdrive
improved oil recovery
101
A method of thermal recovery in which fire is generated inside the reservoir by injecting a gas containing oxygen, such as air
in situ combustion
102
A type of damage in which foreign particles injected during normal well operations, such as drilling, completion, workover, stimulation or enhanced recovery, block the near-wellbore formation, reducing well productivity
induced particle plugging
103
The addition of wells in a field that decreases average well spacing
infill drilling
104
The particular arrangement of production and injection wells
injection pattern
105
A property of the interface between two immiscible phases
interfacial tension
106
An injection pattern in which four production wells are located at the corners of a square and the injector well sits in the center
inverted five spot
107
Aerobic bacteria that convert iron from the ferrous [Fe+2] to the ferric [Fe+3] state and produce ferric hydroxide [Fe(OH)3], which is a highly insoluble by-product that will damage the formation
iron-oxidizing bacteria
108
An injection pattern in which the injection wells are located in a straight line parallel to the production wells
line drive
109
Pertaining to an attraction for oil by a surface of a material or a molecule
lipophilic
110
A phenomenon encountered during dry forward combustion in which an oil zone around the production well cannot be pushed forward by the heated oil
liquid blocking
111
An enhanced oil recovery method that uses water with a low concentration of dissolved salts as a flooding medium
low-salinity waterflooding
112
An enhanced oil recovery technique in which a micelle solution is pumped into a reservoir through specially distributed injection wells
micellar polymer flooding
113
An ordered aggregate of surfactant molecules formed when the surfactant concentration in a solution reaches a critical point, thus lowering the free energy of the system
micelle
114
the minimum quantity of additional components, such as intermediate-chain gases or CO2, that must be added to an injection gas to reach first-contact miscibility with a reservoir fluid at a given temperature and pressure
MMC / MME
115
The ratio of effective permeability to phase viscosity. The overall mobility is a sum of the individual phase viscosities
mobility
116
In chemical flooding, a fluid stage, normally water thickened with a polymer, pumped between the micellar or alkaline chemical solution and the final water injection
mobility buffer
117
A condition in oil recovery processes whereby the mobility of the injectant is lower than that of the oil or preceding chemical slug, leading to a stable displacement by the injectant
mobility control / sweep efficiency
118
The mobility of an injectant divided by that of the fluid it is displacing, such as oil
mobility ratio
119
Abbreviation for mils (thousandths of an inch) per year penetration, a unit of measurement for the corrosion rate of a coupon
mpy
120
A process whereby nitrogen gas is injected into an oil reservoir to increase the oil recovery factor
nitrogen injection
121
A production or injection well that has a lateral or diagonal displacement with respect to the other wells in an injection pattern
off pattern well
122
The portion of a reservoir where the oil saturation is increased because of the application of an improved oil recovery method
oil bank
123
A strip-mining process involving the removal and subsequent processing of tar sand from shallow reservoirs containing heavy, viscous oil
oil mining
124
An expansion in oil volume that can occur when a solvent contacts a reservoir fluid
oil swelling
125
Pertaining to the preference of a solid to be in contact with an oil phase rather than a water or gas phase
oil wet
126
A type of organic fluid, such as acetic or formic acid, used in oil and gas well-stimulation treatments
organic acid
127
A type of damage in which heavy hydrocarbons precipitate when temperature or pressure is reduced
organic deposit
128
A set of techniques used to prevent or considerably reduce paraffin deposition
paraffin control
129
A chemical injected into the wellbore to prevent or minimize paraffin deposition
paraffin inhibitor
130
The degree of solubilization of a solute into each of multiple immiscible phases at equilibrium
partitioning
131
A standard laboratory instrument used to measure interfacial tension, particularly applicable to relatively high interfacial tensions, but with care can measure down to approximately 1 mN/m
pendant-drop tensiometer
132
A type of corrosion in which there is loss of metal in localized areas
pitting
133
A polymer with a high molecular weight
polyacrylamide
134
An enhanced oil recovery technique using water viscosified with soluble polymers
polymer flooding
135
A carbohydrate composed of many monosaccharides
polysaccharide
136
A reaction by-product. In sandstone acidizing, the reaction between hydrofluoric acids [HF] or spent HF acids with formation minerals can precipitate nondamaging products, such as silica, borosilicates or fluoborates
precipitate
137
A fluid stage, normally hydrochloric acid [HCl], pumped ahead of the main treating fluid (mixture of hydrofluoric [HF] and hydrochloric [HCl] or organic acids) in a sandstone matrix-stimulation treatment
preflush
138
In chemical flooding, a fluid stage, normally low-salinity water, pumped ahead of the micellar or alkaline chemical solution
preflush
139
A graphical representation indicating phase behavior for variation of saturation pressure and injection gas concentration at a given temperature
pressure-composition diagram
140
The first stage of hydrocarbon production, in which natural reservoir energy, such as gasdrive, waterdrive or gravity drainage, displaces hydrocarbons from the reservoir, into the wellbore and up to surface
primary recovery / primary production
141
An abbreviation for pressure, volume, temperature
PVT
142
The recoverable amount of hydrocarbon initially in place, normally expressed as a percentage
recovery factor
143
A chemical added to an acid to stabilize iron. The injected acid dissolves iron from rust, millscale, iron scales or iron-containing minerals in the formation
reducing agent
144
Natural forces in the reservoir that displace hydrocarbons out of the reservoir into the wellbore and up to surface
reservoir drive mechanisms
145
The variations in rock properties in a reservoir
reservoir heterogeneities
146
Oil that does not move when fluids are flowed through the rock in normal conditions, for example primary and secondary recovery, and invasion
residual oil
147
A test for water mud or oil mud, also known as the water, oil and solids test
retort test / water, oil and solids test
148
A type of in-situ combustion in which the burning front moves in an opposite direction to the injected air
reverse combustion
149
A type of bimetallic corrosion, has the shape of a ring and is located a few inches from the pipe upset
ringworm corrosion
150
A laboratory device used to indicate miscibility between reservoir oil and injection gas
rising-bubble apparatus
151
The study of and description of sandstones, including the mineral content
sandstone petrography
152
Special core analysis laboratory
SCAL
153
A mineral deposit that can occur in the tubing, the gravel pack, the perforations or the formation
scale
154
A type of inhibition treatment used to control or prevent scale deposition. In a scale-inhibitor squeeze, the inhibitor is pumped into a water-producing zone
scale inhibitor squeeze
155
A common well-intervention operation involving a wide variety of mechanical scale-inhibitor treatments and chemical options
scale removal
156
Equipment placed in a pipeline for inserting or retrieving a pipeline scraper (pig)
scraper trap
157
A preliminary assessment of the suitability of a reservoir for a particular process or development methodology
screening
158
The second stage of hydrocarbon production during which an external fluid such as water or gas is injected into the reservoir through injection wells located in rock that has fluid communication with production wells
secondary recovery
159
In matrix stimulation, a characteristic of rock that indicates the degree of reaction between the rock minerals and a given treating fluid
sensitivity
160
Another term for chelating agent, a chemical added to an acid to stabilize iron
sequestering agent
161
Bacteria that can live with or without oxygen and produce mats of high-density slime that cover surfaces
slime forming bacteria
162
A laboratory test used to estimate the minimum miscibility pressure (MMP) or minimum miscibility concentration (MMC) of a given injection solvent and reservoir oil
slim-tube test
163
In cyclic steam injection, the second phase between the steam-injection phase and the production phase
soak phase
164
The maximum amount of a substance that will dissolve in a given amount of solvent at a given temperature and pressure, or the degree to which a substance will dissolve in a particular solvent
solubility
165
A type of reservoir-drive mechanism in which the energy for the transport and production of reservoir fluids is provided by the gas dissolved in the liquid
solution gasdrive
166
The corrosion caused by contact with hydrogen sulfide [H2S] dissolved in water
sour corrosion
167
A standard laboratory instrument to measure interfacial tension, particularly applicable to values of interfacial tension below 1 mN/m and especially below 10-2 mN/m, as may occur when employing surfactants for enhanced oil recovery
spinning-drop tensiometer
168
A type of batch-treating technique used in corrosion control
standard batch
169
A two-phase mixture of liquid water and steam produced from a generator
steam
170
The volume of reservoir in which mobile steam exists for an extended period of time
steam chamber
171
A method of thermal recovery in which steam generated at surface is injected into the reservoir through specially distributed injection wells
steam flood
172
Parameter used to monitor the efficiency of oil production processes based on steam injection
steam oil ratio
173
Another term for soak phase, in cyclic steam injection, the second phase between the steam-injection phase and the production phase
steam soak
174
A barrier or resistance to the flow of injected steam formed by a volume around a producing well in a steamflood that contains high oil and liquid water saturation
steam trap
175
A thermal production method for heavy oil that pairs a high-angle injection well with a nearby production well drilled along a parallel trajectory
SAGD / steam-assisted gravity drainage
176
A method of thermal recovery in which steam generated at surface is injected into the reservoir through specially distributed injection wells
steamflood
177
A treatment performed to restore or enhance the productivity of a well
stimulation / well stimulation
178
The volume of oil in a reservoir prior to production
STOIIP / stock-tank oil initially in place / STOOIP / stock-tank original oil in place
179
A chemical that preferentially adsorbs at an interface, lowering the surface tension or interfacial tension between fluids or between a fluid and a solid
surfactant
180
An enhanced oil recovery process in which alternating slugs of a surfactant solution and gas are injected into a reservoir
surfactant-alternating gas
181
A measure of the effectiveness of an enhanced oil recovery process that depends on the volume of the reservoir contacted by the injected fluid
sweep efficiency / volumetric sweep efficiency
182
The corrosion caused by contact with carbon dioxide [CO2] dissolved in water
sweet corrosion
183
Also known as thermal recovery, a general term for injection processes that introduce heat into a reservoir
TEOR / miscible displacement
184
A graphical representation of concentrations in a system with three components
ternary diagram
185
Traditionally, the third stage of hydrocarbon production, comprising recovery methods that follow waterflooding or pressure maintenance
tertiary recovery
186
A general term for injection processes that introduce heat into a reservoir
thermal recovery / TEOR
187
The finite-difference or finite-element reservoir simulation that includes energy equations and calculations used to describe heat conduction, heat and fluid convection, and latent heat exchanges occurring in the reservoir rock and fluids during a thermal recovery process such as steamflooding, steam assisted gravity drainage, or in-situ combustion
thermal simulation
188
In a ternary diagram, a graphical representation of two fluids being mixed
tie line
189
Oil in pore spaces that cannot be moved because of capillary forces
trapped oil
190
A type of batch-treating technique used in corrosion control in which a batch of corrosion inhibitor is displaced through the tubing to the bottom of the well
tubing displacement
191
Values of interfacial tension (IFT) less than about 10-2 mN/m
ultralow interfacial tension
192
A non-thermal heavy oil production method, Similar in concept to SAGD
VAPEX / vapor extraction
193
A gasflood process in which a lean gas, for example methane, nitrogen or carbon dioxide, is injected into a reservoir to achieve multiple-contact miscibility
vaporizing drive
194
In a displacement process, the ratio of the cumulative height of the vertical sections of the pay zone that are contacted by injection fluid to the total vertical pay zone height
vertical displacement efficiency
195
Another term for vertical displacement efficiency, in a displacement process, the ratio of the cumulative height of the vertical sections of the pay zone that are contacted by injection fluid to the total vertical pay zone height
vertical sweep efficiency
196
A measure of a fluid's resistance to flow
viscous force
197
Another term for volumetric sweep efficiency, a measure of the effectiveness of an enhanced oil recovery process that depends on the volume of the reservoir contacted by the injected fluid
volumetric displacement efficiency
198
An enhanced oil recovery process whereby water injection and gas injection are carried out alternately for periods of time to provide better sweep efficiency and reduce gas channeling from injector to producer
WAG / water alternating gas
199
A primary recovery mechanism in which the pressure from free water is sufficient to move hydrocarbons out of the reservoir, into the wellbore and up to surface
water drive
200
A method of secondary recovery in which water is injected into the reservoir formation to displace residual oil
water flood
201
Pertaining to the adhesion of a liquid to the surface of a solid
water wet
202
The first indication of increased crude-oil production as the result of a waterflooding project
waterflood kick
203
The preference of a solid to contact one liquid or gas, known as the wetting phase, rather than another
wettability
204
A type of damage in which the formation wettability is modified, generating a change in relative permeability that eventually affects well productivity
wettability change
205
A distinction among three phase behaviors of oil, water and surfactant systems when they form a microemulsion
Winsor phase behavior
206
A relationship describing the pressure difference across an interface between two fluids at a static, curved interface
Young-Laplace equation
