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VOL. 10, ISSUE 1 (2026)
Performance evaluation of methane, foam and gravity-assisted methane injection for enhanced oil recovery
Authors
Okewinike Thompson, Igwe Ikechi, Wopara Fidelis Onuoha
Abstract
Enhanced oil recovery (EOR) remains a major
technical challenge in depleted oil reservoirs were declining pressure and
reduced sweep efficiency limit hydrocarbon mobilization. Many mature fields
require improved injection strategies capable of delivering stable displacement
fronts and restoring reservoir energy. Despite the widespread use of methane
and foam injections, their comparative performance under realistic
heterogeneity conditions is not fully quantified. This study aims to evaluate
methane injections, foam injection, and gravity-assisted methane injection
using a 3D reservoir simulation model to determine the most effective mechanism
for improving oil recovery. A full-physics black-oil model was constructed,
history-matched, and subjected to the three EOR scenarios. Production
behaviour, cumulative oil, recovery factors, sweep efficiency, displacement
patterns, and pressure distribution were analyzed. Methane injection delivered
the highest uplift, increasing cumulative oil from 3.26 × 10⁶ stb (base case)
to 4.19 × 10⁶ stb, with oil rates rising from 2,850 stb/day to peaks of 4,200
stb/day, and improving the recovery factor from 29.6% to 38.4%. Foam injection
yielded 3.74 × 10⁶ stb, achieving a 15% increase in sweep efficiency and
reducing gas mobility by nearly 40%, which stabilized the displacement front.
Gravity-assisted methane injection recovered 3.62 × 10⁶ stb, improving vertical
sweep by 12% and delaying gas override. Methane injection also demonstrated
superior displacement efficiency (up to 0.71) and maintained reservoir pressure
above 2,600 psia, compared with 2,320 psia under foam and 2,180 psia under
gravity-assisted methane. Methane injection exhibited the strongest performance
across all metrics, while foam and gravity-assisted schemes offered secondary
benefits in mobility control and vertical sweep improvement. These findings
provide a robust technical basis for selecting and optimizing gas-based EOR
methods in depleted reservoirs.
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Pages:54-64
How to cite this article:
Okewinike Thompson, Igwe Ikechi, Wopara Fidelis Onuoha "Performance evaluation of methane, foam and gravity-assisted methane injection for enhanced oil recovery". International Journal of Advanced Engineering and Technology, Vol 10, Issue 1, 2026, Pages 54-64
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