Dec. 3, 2003 | KU Radio News Line

Audio



Oil recovery test to begin Dec. 4; could result in $1 billion economic impact


Contact: Frank Barthell, University Relations, (785) 864-8869.

Radio News Line text:
Oil recovery test begins near Russell

ON THURSDAY, DECEMBER FOURTH, A HISTORIC TEST IN KANSAS OIL PRODUCTION BEGINS AS UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS RESEARCHERS INJECT CARBON DIOXIDE INTO A RUSSELL COUNTY OIL FIELD. IF THE METHOD PROVES SUCCESSFUL, IT COULD RENEW THE STATE'S DIMINISHING OIL SUPPLY AND PUMP ONE BILLION DOLLARS OR MORE INTO THE KANSAS ECONOMY.

K-U RESEARCHERS HOPE TO FLUSH OUT MORE OIL USING CARBON DIOXIDE SUPPLIED BY THE U-S ENERGY PARTNERS ETHANOL PLANT NEAR RUSSELL. THEY'LL PUMP LIQUID C-O-TWO INTO OIL-PRODUCING ROCKS ABOUT THREE-THOUSAND FEET UNDERGROUND. RESEARCHERS EXPECT THAT CARBON DIOXIDE WILL FORCE THE OIL OUT OF HARD-TO-REACH SPACES AND INTO NEARBY WELLS, WHERE IT WILL BE PUMPED TO THE SURFACE.

CARBON DIOXIDE FLOODING HAS BEEN USED IN OTHER LOCATIONS BUT NEVER HAS BEEN TRIED IN KANSAS. IF THE TEST IS SUCCESSFUL AND OTHER FIELDS AROUND KANSAS ADOPT THE METHOD, IT COULD PRODUCE MILLIONS OF ADDITIONAL BARRELS OF OIL EVERY YEAR.

THE HALL-GURNEY OIL FIELD HAS PRODUCED MORE THAN 150 MILLION BARRELS OF OIL SINCE ITS DISCOVERY IN 1931. BUT OUTPUT AT THE FIELD SEVEN MILES SOUTHEAST OF RUSSELL HAS DROPPED ALMOST 50 PERCENT IN THE PAST 10 YEARS.

PETROLEUM GEOLOGIST ALAN BYRNES IS THE PROJECT'S CO-DIRECTOR WITH THE K-U BASED KANSAS GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. HE SAYS THE NEW METHOD HAS THE POTENTIAL TO CREATE A DRAMATIC TURNAROUND IN THE STATE'S DECLINING OIL INDUSTRY.
Byrnes: "Kansas oil production has been declining for the last 40 years. CO2 could potentially increase oil production by hundreds of millions of barrels and billions of dollars. It could make a significant difference to the jobs in Kansas." (14 sec.)

BYRNES SAYS THE HALL-GURNEY FIELD IS AN IDEAL TEST SITE.
Byrnes: "The Hall-Gurney field was selected because it is the largest field for the Lansing/Kansas City formation, which is a particular kind of limestone that occurs throughout the state. Basically, proving it here proves it for a lot of locations." (13 sec.)

BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF THE UNDERGROUND ROCKS HOLDING THE OIL, BYRNES SAYS, TEST RESULTS WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE IMMEDIATELY.
Byrnes: "We will know if the project is successful in approximately a year and a half to two years. If we recover 20,000 barrels from this 10-acre site, that would be a very successful demonstration and that would potentially lead to commercial application." (15 sec.)

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