The application of enhanced oil recovery processes (EOR – Enhanced Oil Recovery) on oil fields increases recovery efficiency. This is especially important in depleted and mature fields. This should result in an increase in production by raising the recovery factor (the ratio of oil produced to total geological reserves). This review presents the growing trend of gas injection (particularly carbon dioxide). In Polish oil fields, conventional methods are currently used. This means that much can still be done in this area. The selection of the optimum method for a given field is a complex procedure consisting of many stages, from collecting data about the field, through more advanced data interpretation, to working out a detailed proposal for the most efficient method of extraction. The pre-selection stage involves excluding methods which, owing to their specific mechanisms, cannot be used for a particular field – e.g. thermal methods in light oil fields or nitrogen injection into shallow reservoirs. This paper analyzes the potential for the application of EOR methods in Poland using a binary technical screening method. Forty-nine, mature Polish oil fields were analyzed. Apart from the rock type, other parameters were also taken into account in the analysis as follows: oil density and viscosity, average porosity, permeability and thickness of the reservoir, and also depth of deposit. In regard to the criteria for the EOR methods applied, the subjects of analysis are oil fields with medium density and viscosity and low permeability (double porosity in carbonate rocks), which are at a relatively shallow or medium depth of deposit. The results of analysis show that gas injection methods, especially carbon dioxide or nitrogen, have the highest potential. Application of this method must be preceded by detailed research and field pilot tests. International experience cannot be applied directly to Poland because of different field characteristics as well as technological and economic conditions.

Oil can be produced from reservoirs by use of primary methods that use natural reservoir drive, secondary methods, involving a physical displacement of oil and tertiary (enhanced), in which additional types of energy support oil recovery. About 25-35% of original oil in place for light and medium oil and about 10% heavy oil could be extracted by primary and secondary methods. Injection of CO2 into the oil fields (CO2-EOR) is one of the tertiary oil recovery method. Carbon dioxide is used for increasing oil extraction due to the fact that: to maintain reservoir pressure, reduces the oil viscosity and facilitates its movement in the reservoir, reduces density and increase the volume of oil, interacts with rocks. Depending on the oil composition and the reservoir pressure and temperature injected carbon dioxide can displace oil from the reservoir miscible or immiscible. Additional 10-20% of the oil extraction over primary and secondary methods recovery can be obtained under the miscibility conditions, in immiscibility condition additional oil production is lower. EOR method selection depends on many geological, reservoir and economic parameters. These include: density, viscosity and composition of the oil, minimum miscibility pressure, the recovery factor and vertical and horizontal reservoir variability. Using the above criteria appropriate EOR method for given oil field can be selected. The five parameters: the reservoir depth, the oil density, pressure and temperature of the reservoir is used for the selection of oil fields suitable for miscible oil displacement.