One of the main applications of carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) technology in the industry is carbon-dioxide-enhanced oil recovery (CO₂-EOR). However, accurately and rapidly assessing their application potential remains a major challenge. In this study, a numerical model of the CO₂-WAG technique was developed using the reservoir numerical simulation software CMG (Version 2021), which is widely used in the field of reservoir engineering. Then, 10,000 different reservoir models were randomly generated using the Monte Carlo method for numerical simulations, with each having different formation physical parameters, fluid parameters, initial conditions, and injection and production parameters. Among them, 70% were used as the training set and 30% as the test set. A comprehensive analysis was conducted using eight different machine learning regression methods to train and evaluate the dataset. After evaluation, the XGBoost algorithm emerged as the top-performing method and was selected as the optimal approach for the prediction and optimization. By integrating the production prediction model with a particle swarm optimizer (PSO), a workflow for optimizing the CO₂-EOR parameters was developed. This process enables the rapid optimization of the CO₂-EOR parameters and the prediction of the production for each period based on cumulative production under different geological conditions. The proposed XGBoost-PSO proxy model accurately, reliably, and efficiently predicts production, thereby making it an important tool for optimizing CO₂-EOR design.

CCUS-EOR is a crucial technology for reducing carbon emissions and enhancing reservoir recovery. It enables the achievement of dual objectives: improving economic efficiency and protecting the environment. To explore a set of CCUS-EOR reservoir screening criteria suitable for continental reservoirs in China, this study investigated and compared the CCUS-EOR reservoir screening criteria outside and in China, sorted out the main reservoir parameters that affect CO₂ flooding, and optimized the indices and scope of CCUS-EOR reservoir screening criteria in China. The weights of parameters with respect to their influences on CCUS-EOR were determined through principal component analysis. The results show that there are 14 key parameters affecting CO₂ flooding, which can be categorized into four levels. For the first level, the crude oil-CO₂ miscibility index holds the greatest weight of 0.479. It encompasses seven parameters: initial formation pressure, current formation pressure, temperature, depth, C₂–C₁₅ molar content, residual oil saturation, and minimum miscibility pressure. The second level consists of the crude oil mobility index, which has a weight of 0.249. This index includes four parameters: porosity, permeability, density, and viscosity. The third level pertains to the index of reservoir tectonic characteristics, with a weight of 0.141. It comprises two parameters: permeability variation coefficient and average effective thickness. Lastly, the fourth level focuses on the index of reservoir property change, with a weight of 0.131, which solely considers the pressure maintenance level. Based on the CCUS-EOR reservoir screening criteria and index weights established in this study, comprehensive scores for CCUS-EOR were calculated for six blocks in China. Among these, five blocks are deemed suitable for CCUS-EOR. Based on the comprehensive scoring results, a planning for field application of CCUS-EOR is proposed. The study provides a rational method to evaluate the CCUS-EOR reservoir screening and field application in continental reservoirs in China.

Based on a large number of empirical statistics of tertiary oil recovery technology in China, including polymer flooding, chemical flooding, gas flooding, in situ combustion, steam flooding, ect., 22 key reservoir parameters were filterized. Five levels of quantitative screening criteria were developed for different tertiary oil recovery methods. The mean algorithm for the downward approximation and the grey correlation theory were used in this paper to quickly select the appropriate tertiary oil recovery method for the target blocks, which provides a preferred development method for subsequent potential evaluation. In the rapid analogy evaluation method of tertiary oil recovery potential, the total similarity ratio between the target block and the example block is determined. The target block is matched with the appropriate instance block according to the total similarity ratio value, using 80% as the boundary. The ratio of the geological reserves is used to predict the oil recovery interval, the actual annual injection data, and the economic profit, thus quickly predicting the economic potential of the tertiary oil recovery technology in the target block. Currently, our research team has integrated these two methods into the tertiary oil production potential evaluation software EORSYS3.0. The empirical analysis shows that this method is reasonable and the conclusion is reliable. In addition, the actual enhanced recovery value is within the effective range predicted by the method. The method and results of this paper will provide an important decision-making reference for the application and sustainable development of China Petroleum’s main tertiary oil recovery technology in the next 5–10 years.

Compound flooding and tertiary oil recovery is one of the leading methods to improve recovery efficiency in oil and gas development in China, Because there are certain requirements on the exploitation environment and technology in the process of petroleum exploitation, it is necessary to evaluate and analyze the reservoir potential in advance. Currently, our research team has integrated this method into the tertiary oil production potential evaluation software EORSYS3.0. In this paper, a new combined flooding potential prediction model is established to improve the accuracy of reservoir potential prediction results by changing the reservoir water cut of displacement front viscosity.

Gas injection has received increasing attention as one of the key technologies to enhance oil recovery. When gas is dissolved in crude oil, it will accelerate the flow of crude oil by reducing the density, viscosity, interfacial tension (IFT), and other properties of crude oil, so IFT is one of the main factors affecting the recovery of the gas drive. The interfacial properties of CH₄, one of the principal associated hydrocarbon gases, with crude oil remain unclear. In this study, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were used to determine the IFTs of pure and impure CH₄ with n-decane as well as the IFTs of the ternary systems CH₄ + n-hexane + n-decane and CH₄ + n-decane + n-nonadecane. Additionally, investigating factors including pressure, temperature, gas composition, and crude oil composition reveals the mechanisms affecting the interfacial properties of CH₄ and crude oil. The results demonstrate that CO₂ significantly lowers the IFT of CH₄ + n-decane; the effect of crude oil components on IFT varies with the properties of the crude oil and, generally speaking, IFT is greater for crude oils containing heavy components than for those containing light components; the effect of temperature on the IFT of the CH₄ + n-decane system is more pronounced at low pressure and decreases with increasing pressure. This study contributes to understanding the behavior of CH₄ and oil systems in the formation and could be used to enhance the oil recovery technology.

With the shortage of recoverable reserves in conventional oil reservoirs, the development of low-permeability oil reservoirs has received more and more attention. The oil recovery of low-permeability reservoirs can be significantly improved by CO2 flooding, as it can effectively supply formation energy. CO2 flooding is an effective technology for increasing oil production in low-permeability reservoirs. However, because of the heterogeneity of the reservoir and the effect of natural fractures, CO2 gas channelling easily occurs during CO2 flooding, seriously reducing CO2 flooding effect. In this study, the gas channelling technology of acid-resistant gel foam was investigated. Preferred acid-resistant gel foam system formula was found as 0.1% by mass of AOS foaming agent with 0.3% to 0.4% by mass of instant HPAM polymer and 1% to 2% by mass of water-soluble phenolic resin crosslinking agent. This system still has a good foaming ability and blocking performance under at pH=2 and a salinity of 10×10⁴ mg/L. After 60 days of aging under oil reservoir conditions, there is no obvious water separation, and the plugging strength retention rate reached more than 60%. The gel foam channelling system can be applied to highly heterogeneous and low permeability reservoirs with a permeability gradient higher than 14 and can increase the recovery rate by more than 20% based on the CO2 flooding. Acid-resistant gel foam channelling technology can effectively inhibit CO2 gas channelling and improve CO2 flooding effect in low permeability reservoirs.