CO2-EOR+ in Australia: achieving low-emissions oil and unlocking residual oil resources

The petroleum industry, through the production and consumption of oil gas, contributes to global greenhouse gas emissions. However, industry’s leadership experience in underground injection storage CO2, especially CO2 enhanced recovery (CO2-EOR), which has been proposed as a possible solution reducing atmospheric levels, not well acknowledged. Unlike traditional CO2-EOR, tends be net carbon emitter due use predominantly natural rather than anthropogenic, CO2-EOR+ focuses on storing larger volume CO2. Thus only provides potential dispose anthropogenic emissions but at same time reduces reliance imported increased domestic production. Increased industry interest energy policy strategies directed and/or removing from processes reflect growing social economic impetus improve operation practices reputation. Residual zones (ROZs) below identified oil–water contacts provide an excellent target for application CO2-EOR+. They offer producible residual resource accessible large pore storage, with efforts focused converting ROZs into resources reserves. Existing fields Surat Cooper-Eromanga Basins are already placed utilise sources achieve conventional CO2-EOR metrics. these basins will hopefully allow EOR projects increase volumes stored, per incremental barrel oil, past levels (0.2–0.3 tCO2/bbl), doing so, potentially negative-emission oil.