INPEX CORPORATION (INPEX) and Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation (JOGMEC) jointly announced they commenced in April 2021 a joint study for a CO2 enhanced oil recovery (EOR) 1 pilot test at the Minami-aga Oil Field in Agano City, Niigata Prefecture, Japan.

The purpose of the pilot test is to demonstrate the effect of CO2 EOR efficiency improvement technology (CO2 foam technology 2) currently under development on the recovery of remaining crude oil deposits underground at the INPEX Minami-aga Oil Field. As a portion of the CO2 will remain underground following the recovery of crude oil, INPEX and JOGMEC also plan to verify the effect of the reduction of CO2, a greenhouse gas.

INPEX and JOGMEC will henceforth proceed with preparatory work including formulating a detailed test plan, and plan to drill two new wells in 2022 and carry out the pilot test. Through the pilot test, the two organizations will develop and promote the application of EOR technology with a view to deploying this technology at overseas oil and gas fields in the future.

INPEX and JOGMEC will proactively engage in energy structure reforms towards the realization of a net zero carbon society by 2050, while fulfilling their responsibility for the development and stable supply of energy over the long-term. At the same time, through this pilot test, the two organizations will promote technological development contributing to EOR and the reduction of CO2 emissions in upstream operations.

A technology that enhances the crude oil recovery rate and increases production by injecting CO2 underground, with the dual aim of reducing CO2 and tapping the economic benefits of enhanced oil recovery.

A technology to enhance the oil recovery rate by uniformly sweeping oil in reservoirs with CO2 foam (as CO2 bubbles mixed with water), which has greater apparent viscosity.

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