Recent developments in CCUS-EOR for depleted reservoirs

Abstract

Carbon capture, utilization, and storage combined with enhanced oil recovery (CCUS-EOR) is recognized as a practical approach to enhance oil recovery while simultaneously reducing CO₂ emissions. Numerical simulation has become an essential tool for guiding the development of CO₂ injection in depleted reservoirs, where the construction of accurate models is fundamental to reliably predicting production performance. This paper first presents an overview of major CCUS-EOR projects worldwide and subsequently provides a detailed discussion of several critical aspects of numerical simulation for CCUS-EOR. Specifically, it includes: The differences between compositional models and black oil models, the detailed computational procedures of compositional simulation, as well as the primary technical challenges currently encountered; mainstream geomechanical models, the application of geomechanics in assessing reservoir sealing capacity in CCUS projects, and further developments in geomechanical coupling techniques; the current research progress on the mechanisms of water-alternating-gas (WAG) injection, the effectiveness of chemical agents for profile control, and microscale gas channeling control studies based on molecular dynamics simulations and pore network modeling. This review provides a solid theoretical foundation for numerical simulation studies of CCUS-EOR in depleted reservoirs and offers constructive suggestions for future research.

Document Type: Invited review

Cited as: Yang, Y., Zhao, X., Yang, J., Zhang. Y., Tian, Y. Recent developments in CCUS-EOR for depleted reservoirs. Computational Energy Science, 2025, 2(1): 17-30. https://doi.org/10.46690/compes.2025.01.04

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