SPD Begins Construction on ASP Mixing Unit

Salym Petroleum Development N.V. (SPD) and ООО “Stroytransgaz-M” (STGM) signed a contract for construction of ASP* mixing unit at the West Salym oil field in Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug – Yugra.

The ASP mixing unit is designed to prepare a mix of alkali, surfactant and polymer. These components are used in chemical flooding – a promising innovative enhanced oil recovery technology. The implementation of ASP makes it possible to additionally produce up to 30% of oil that remained after traditional waterflood. Since 2013 SPD is realizing an ASP pilot project at the Salym group of oil fields, including construction of 7 wells, ASP pipeline and ASP mixing unit.

According to the contract, ASP mixing unit will be put into operation at the start of 2015.

*ASP is a promising enhanced oil recovery method based on chemical formation flooding with a three component mixture (alkali, surfactant, and polymer). It becomes possible to enhance oil recovery factor by injecting a composition of certain chemicals into the well. Surfactant reduces interfacial tension of oil, while alkali influences the electric charge of rock, which in its turn reduces surfactant loss. Polymer is applied to enhance solution viscosity. The technology has already been actively applied in the USA, Canada, and China; pilot testing is performed in several other countries. SPD has been studying this technology since 2008. The company has already run several laboratory and field tests. In 2012 SPD shareholders approved execution of an ASP pilot project on the Salym group of oil fields in 2013-2015.

Source: Salym Petroleum Development N.V.