Petroleum Reservoir Engineering Practice

Chapter 16. Secondary Recovery Methods

16.1 Introduction

Secondary recovery methods are defined as processes that are used to increase hydrocarbon recovery from the reservoir beyond primary recovery. Typical secondary recovery methods are considered to be intervention methods implemented during the primary recovery period to improve projected low hydrocarbon recovery from the primary process. The presentation of secondary recovery methods in this chapter is focused on waterflooding and gasflooding. Waterflooding of hydrocarbon reservoirs is generally an immiscible displacement process since water is virtually immiscible with hydrocarbons even at high pressures. Gasflooding can be an immiscible or miscible displacement process, depending on ...