An oil recovery technology developed in Aberdeenshire has delivered what appears to be a major breakthrough for mature oilfields, after a pilot project in Texas doubled production.
Stock exchange announcements this morning from Hunting PLC and Buccaneer Energy said Hunting’s Organic Oil Recovery (OOR) solution achieved a 100% uplift in output at Buccaneer’s Pine Mills field in East Texas.
Buccaneer also reported that water cut in one treated well fell from 80% to zero thanks to OOR, which has been developed in Portlethen.
OOR is a process that involves injecting a nutrient mixture into the reservoir to stimulate the growth of naturally occurring microorganisms. Buccaneer said the microbes “alter their surface properties from hydrophilic (attracted to water) to hydrophobic (repelled by water)” which reduces interfacial tension and improves the mobility of residual oil in mature waterflood systems.
Hunting chief executive Jim Johnson said: "This well result supports our confidence in the OOR technology, as a lower cost enhanced oil recovery solution which can be utilised in many oil wells globally."
Buccaneer chief executive Paul Welch said: "We are very encouraged by the success of the pilot project where average production from the area treated increased 100% to 30 bopd. The initial results significantly exceeded our expectations.
"The process is well-suited to mature waterfloods, like Pine Mills, where the 'easier oil' has been produced and a large amount of residual oil remains in place. Efficiently dislodging this residual oil has a significant impact on production rates.
"One of the treated producers in the pilot went from an 80% water cut to a 0% water cut after treatment, a remarkable result.
"Most importantly, the cost of this treatment is modest and comparable to a routine workover, meaning it can be applied without a material capital investment."