Speaking on the sidelines of the second day of the 15th Khuzestan Specialized Exhibition of Petroleum Industry, Equipment, Manufacturing opened in Ahvaz on Sunday, Naseri-Karimvand highlighted that enhanced oil recovery (EOR) techniques, particularly gas and water-based methods, have long been a priority for oil companies aiming to improve extraction from oil and gas reservoirs.

He noted that feasibility studies in fields managed by NISOC indicate that reservoir-focused EOR methods are a priority for undersaturated reservoirs, primarily Bangestan, and saturated reservoirs.

"Using gas-based methods in such reservoirs may carry significant risks, which is why water-based methods in dense, non-fractured reservoirs have become a key focus for NISOC experts in recent years," Naseri-Karimvand said.

The technical director explained that water injection in the Ilam reservoir of the Ahvaz field has been launched as the first operational water-based EOR project in southern oil-rich regions. The project is divided into five phases, including reservoir studies, injection validation, well planning, monitoring, and surface facilities.

Naseri-Karimvand emphasized that many activities in this project, such as reservoir modeling for water injection, advanced test designs, and reservoir characterization at laboratory, well, and reservoir scales, were successfully carried out for the first time by NISOC.

He added that low-salinity water injection and flooding, designed using specialized software, were tested for injectivity capacity in Well 402 of the Ahvaz Bangestan field.

Despite the reservoir’s relatively weak characteristics, preliminary analysis indicated the test was successful, achieving a flow rate of 5,000 barrels per day over one month.

Naseri-Karimvand outlined the project’s achievements, including modifying the completion of injection and production wells in the pilot area, upgrading surface facilities for injection, preparing an execution and monitoring package, conducting advanced tests in collaboration with the Petroleum Industry Research Institute, and engaging internationally renowned consultants with expertise in global water injection projects.

He also mentioned that preparations and evaluations for long-term injectivity testing and the low-salinity water injection pilot have been completed. "Water injection in the Bangestan reservoir of the Ahvaz field will begin soon. To enhance the pilot evaluation process, we are also focusing on improving injection performance through hydraulic fracturing and capacity assessment of monitoring methods, such as tracer testing," Naseri-Karimvand said.

He expressed hope that, given the volume of oil in place in Bangestan reservoirs, the success of this pilot project could play a significant role in increasing recoverable oil reserves in southern oil-rich regions.

According to Shana News Agency, the 15th Khuzestan Specialized Exhibition of Petroleum Industry, Equipment, Manufacturing is being held in Ahvaz from January 11to 14 and is open to the public from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.