Prospectives for CO2 enhanced and intensified oil recovery projects in Russian Federation

Worldwide practice, for rational CO2 use, focuses on injection of this greenhouse gas for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) and intensified oil recovery (IOR). In total, as per year 2024, over 150 active CO2 EOR &IOR projects are under run in various oil/gas producing countries, with USA leadership. These CO2 technologies are at 9th maturity, technology stage readiness level, As for Russian territory, CO2 technologies are at about 6-7 level. Despite positive Soviet Union CO2 project design experience, recently, it is difficult to talk about design-to – project transformation. Because of different limitations, experience, sensitive consequences for carbon dioxide transportation and well injection into oil-bearing reservoirs, the oil recovery technologies with in- situ CO2 generation, with no such limitations, and with proved positive field experience, seem as rather prospective ones, for their further optimization and scaling. Taking into account negative experience of large-volume areal CO2 injection into oil-bearing reservoirs, with unplanned early CO2 breakthroughs into production wells, unproductive losses of carbon dioxide, over corrosion of oil equipment and CO2 environmental emission & pollution, it is reasonable to develop methods and technologies for maximal saturation of “oil-water-rock” system with carbon dioxide, with its minimal consumption, prevention of breakthrough to production well and all further negative consequences. To optimize numerous and multi-directional efforts, time, money expenses, it is proposed, to organize CO2 EOR &IOR technologies single and united center, work program, structure and financing. The proposed article discloses numerous prospective ways for implementing CO2 EOR &IOR projects in Russian oil fields. Keywords: intensification of oil recovery; gaseous carbon dioxide; enhanced oil recovery; carbon footprint; carbon dioxide in-situ generation; tax incentives.