PJSC Gazprom Neft intends to develop cooperation with IGPT KFU on the Chemical EOR project

A delegation from Gazprom Neft PJSC visited the Institute of Geology and Petroleum Technologies of Kazan Federal University. The delegation included Program Director of the Technological Office “Methods of Enhanced Oil Recovery” (TO EOR) Olga Chebysheva, Head of the TO EOR Department Mikhail Bondar, TO EOR Expert Igor Koltsov, Head of the TO EOR Department  Andrey Osipov, Head of the TO EOR Department Georgy Shcherbakov, Chief Specialist Anatoly Kinakh.

The guests were welcomed by Vice-Rector for Oil and Gas Technologies, Environmental Management and Earth Sciences, Director of the Institute of Geology and Petroleum Technologies of the KFU Danis Nurgaliev, Head of the Department of Hard-To-Recover Hydrocarbons Development and Operation Mikhail Varfolomeev, Deputy Director for Science of the Institute of Geology and Petroleum Technologies Anton Kolchugin.

The purpose of the meeting was to discuss the possibilities of cooperation in the field of Chemical EOR. This method is used to increase oil recovery from highly depleted, water-flooded oil-bearing formations with diffuse oil saturation.

Projects of Chemical EOR are in the active phase of implementation at PJSC Gazpromneft. The company plans to make a major investment decision to launch a technological test site with an estimated investment of about 5 billion rubles. The company’s specialists are interested in the experience of scientists of the Institute of Geology and Petroleum Technologies in the selection and synthesis of surfactants and polymers both for the formations of the Noyabrsk region fields, and specialized surfactants for the conditions of Orenburg and possibly the Pannonian basin (NIS fields in Serbia), as well as experience in working with nanofluids and digital core.

Representatives of PJSC Gazpromneft were introduced to the laboratories of the Alexander Butlerov Institute of Chemistry and laboratories of the Institute of Geology and Petroleum Technologies. The guests were especially impressed by the Modeling Center. They visited the laboratory of physical modeling of enhanced oil recovery methods with installed “Combustion pipe”, a unique installation designed to simulate and study the processes of oil displacement by various methods of enhanced oil recovery (steam, polymers, chemicals, in situ combustion), as well as assessment their applicability in field conditions.

After visiting the laboratories, a discussion was held on the developments of KFU scientists and their possibilities to contribute to the implementation of Gazprom Neft PJSC projects.

“KFU is one of the leading universities with a great laboratories for chemical methods and chemical EOR, which is what our work is currently focused on,” says Olga Chebysheva. “We see great potential for solving our problems in selection of chemicals and the development of technology for pumping the chemicals of Gazprom Neft”.

Mikhail Varfolomeev paid much attention to the Center for Advanced Training, Quality Management and Marketing (CdoGEO) headed by Ildus Chukmarov. The center implements more than 110 professional development programs and 16 professional retraining programs. During a year, CdoGEO conducts at least 100 courses for 1000 students. It should be noted that CdoGEO is an exporter of FVE programs: only this year, courses were held for students from Latvia, China, Vietnam and Kazakhstan. Mikhail Varfolomeev proposed, together with Gazprom Neft PJSC, to develop and implement advanced training programs in Chemical EOR. Company representatives reacted positively to this proposal and promised to consider it with the corporate training center of Gazprom Neft PJSC.

It should be noted that CdoGEO has a proven track record in providing services to the company. For example, earlier the Center implemented the course “Metrological support of petroleum products measurements at oil products supply enterprises” for the employees of Gazprom Neft PJSC.

“We are pleased to cooperate with PJSC Gazprom Neft on the use of efficient chemistry and the introduction of advanced technology for pumping chemicals,” said Danis Nurgaliev. “We have extensive experience in this area and, moreover, this project fits well into the strategy of the World-Class Research Center (WCRC)”.

It should be reminded that such centers are created within the framework of the “Science” national project to carry out research and development in priority areas of scientific and technological development of Russia. Kazan Federal University won the competition for the establishment of the WCRC in the direction of “Environmentally friendly resource-saving energy, efficient regional use of mineral resources and biological resources” becoming the parent organization in a consortium with the Ufa State Petroleum Technical University, the Gubkin Russian State Oil and Gas University   and the Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology. The new building will house laboratories for PVT analysis, sample preparation, oil displacement, and geochemistry. The President of the Republic of Tatarstan was shown a new “Honeycomb” project, which is a new tool of the center of distance education consisting of eight classrooms, where teachers can simultaneously conduct distance-learning classes.