The Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc) is testing the use of carbon dioxide to improve production at its oil wells, an innovation that will determine whether the Emirate can go ahead with a groundbreaking project to cut emissions from big new industrial projects.
The carbon injection plan is an essential part of a multi-billion dollar plan by the Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company, known as Masdar, to reduce the impact of new steel and aluminium projects on the Emirates growing carbon footprint.
Masdar plans to collect emissions from three locations, compress the gas and pipe it to Adnocs onshore wells, where it would be pumped underground to increase the flow of crude oil.
The gas has been used for years as one method in so-called enhanced oil recovery (EOR) operations in North America, which can markedly increase the amount of oil extracted from underground reservoirs. Now Adnoc has begun tests to see if carbon dioxide would work in the carbonate geology of Abu Dhabi, according to Abdul Munim al Kindy, the general manager of the Abu Dhabi Company for Onshore Oil Operations (ADCO), an Adnoc subsidiary. Adco was now ready to expand the testing to two larger wells, he said, adding a final decision on the technology would be made within a year.
Up until now, EOR has played a minor part in Adnocs operations, since Abu Dhabis oil has been relatively easy to extract. But the complicated and costly process of injecting steam, water, chemicals or gas underground to squeeze more oil from the ground would play a growing role in sustaining output and safeguarding Adnocs strategy to manage its resources conservatively, Mr Kindy said.
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