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To: thackney
Industry magazines from the 90's. It may be hooey, or information meant to influence research or markets, but it was information I read a long time ago.

Are you saying it is false? Or is the oil just now more recoverable because it's been lifted or displaced by something else?

23 posted on 05/14/2013 8:53:03 AM PDT by blackdog (There is no such thing as healing, only a balance between destructive and constructive forces.)
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To: blackdog

Many people confuse applying enhanced oil recovery methods to old wells with new oil in the field.

Simple pumping and the like may only recover 20% from the original drilling. Companies go back, rework wells, apply water flood, CO2 flood and other methods and a “played out” field “suddenly” has more oil.

The proved reserves of that field may double from the original, but the original oil in place hasn’t changed. When companies announce reserves in place, they must be based upon the current technology AND the current price. Some of the oil will cost to much to get at $20 but is recoverable at $80. A lot of that has happened over the years.

Occasionally you can get a couple pockets connected by a fault line. If you pump the pressure down in one and not in the other, the oil may move along the fault to the field you originally pumped from. That condition is rare but has been documented a few times.


27 posted on 05/14/2013 8:59:21 AM PDT by thackney (life is fragile, handle with prayer)
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