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SPE/DOE Thirteenth Symposium on Improved Oil Recovery, April 13-17, 2002
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Dauben International Energy Consultants, Inc.

 

 

Highlights of Recent Activities

Dwight Dauben received the prestigious “IOR Pioneer Award” at the SPE/DOE Improved Oil Recovery Symposium held April 19-23, 2008, Tulsa, Oklahoma. He, along with four other recipients, received this award in recognition of his long-tern efforts in the development and application of technology to improve recovery from mature oil fields. He is greatly honored to be included among the outstanding industry professionals that have received this award in the past.

DI has been quite busy in recent months in working with clients to improve oil recovery from their existing fields. These projects have involved miscible gas injection, polymer flooding, chemical flooding, conventional waterflooding, and the use of horizontal wells in depleted fields.

Most of the activities in recent months have focused on the additional recovery of oil from the older fields. Each reservoir setting is unique and efforts to improve recovery are tailored for the individual situation. DI, in association with Grand Resources, Inc., has achieved outstanding success in the use of horizontal wells to increase oil recovery from fields that were discovered some 75-80 years ago. DI has also been heavily involved in the application of gas injection technology for the miscible recovery of oil. Recent activities have also focused on conventional waterflooding in a carbonate reservoir.

About the Company

Dauben International Energy Consultants, Inc. (DI), was founded by Dwight L. Dauben, PhD, Petroleum Engineer in July, 1993 to provide a diversified range of services to the oil and gas industry. Dr. Dauben brought to the new organization over 35 years of experience with Amoco and major consulting organizations in reservoir engineering applications and improved oil recovery methods. A strong international focus was incorporated into the company, as reflected by the name. DI, along with associated personnel, provides specialized technical expertise in the following areas of petroleum engineering:

  • Reservoir engineering
  • Reservoir simulation
  • Waterflooding
  • Improved oil recovery
  • Economic evaluations
  • Training

DI is best known for its experience in the improvement of oil recovery from existing fields. The first step in this process is to evaluate the reservoir and the current production operations. The next step is to employ an improved operation or process to increase producing rates and recovery. Economics is always an integral part of any evaluation. DI is also well known for its ability to bring state-of-the-art technology for the improvement of oil recovery in a way that is both practical and cost-effective.

DI has in-depth experience in the United States and throughout the world. The international experience has been concentrated in the Asian and Middle East regions, including Japan, Indonesia, China, India, Philippines, Morocco, Myanmar, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates.

Major clients in recent years have included: American Energy LLC, Apache Corporation, Asian Development Bank, BDM Corporation, Calumet Oil Company, Chaparral Energy, Inc., China National Petroleum Corporation, Denbury Resources, Inc., U. S. Department of Energy, ICEP (Japan), Grand Resources, Inc., JMI Energy, Inc., Japan National Oil Corporation, Japan Oil Development Corporation, Kerr-McGee Corporation, Knowledge Reservoir, Marathon Oil Company, Mathtech International, Newfield Exploration Company, Owl Creek Production Company, Pennzoil, Petco Petroleum Corporation, Sharpe Energy Company, U. S. Trade and Development Agency, United Nations, Vintage Petroleum Inc., Warren American, and the World Bank.

Dr. Dauben is the past General Chairman of the Thirteenth SPE/DOE Symposium on Improved Oil Recovery held in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on April 13-17, 2002. This is the premier conference in the United States on the emerging technologies for the improved recovery of oil. He is actively involved in the next symposium scheduled for April 2010.

The Future of Improved Oil Recovery Technology

Improved oil recovery technology is expected to play an ever increasing role in the future due to an array of factors. These include increased world-wide demand, increased difficulties in replacing reserves using conventional technologies, higher oil prices, and increased awareness of environmental factors. The appeal of improved oil recovery methods is that the location and size of the resource are known, and few additional environmental factors are introduced when applying new recovery methods. World-wide efforts to curtail carbon emissions also make available carbon dioxide which can be profitably used to increase oil recovery. Carbon dioxide is a very useful gas for improving oil recovery. The gas is useful in light oil applications to improve recovery under miscible, immiscible conditions, and in gas-assisted gravity drainage applications. The gas is useful in heavier oils to stimulate production from cyclic operations and in applications involving the use of immiscible WAG (water-alternating-gas) operations with horizontal injection and horizontal producing wells.

Much of the improved oil recovery technology was lost in the mid 1980s with the collapse of oil prices. Activity is now beginning to increase. Unfortunately, some of the lessons learned from the past have been forgotten. Some new projects are being implemented using methods that have not worked in the past. DI is one of the few remaining consulting organizations that were involved in the development of enhanced oil recovery technology in the 1970s and 1980s.

 

DI along with its affiliated professionals is uniquely qualified for the challenging opportunities that lie ahead because of its long-term experience and expertise. This expertise and expertise helps to reduce the risk factors involved in the application of new projects.

Last update : 26th December 2009

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