Alberta floodwater discovery leads to Surface Flood EOR scheme in aging pools

CALGARY, Alberta – The flooding in Alberta this June was a disaster that has redefined the face of our province and its citizens, and reinforced a steadfast spirit of helping that is ingrained in this great province.  Camaraderie and generosity have outshone the physical devastation in many areas, and brought hope and at least some stability to the families and neighborhoods which suffered and lost.

While volunteering, a small group of engineers may have figured out a way to bring more relief to those in need and help rebuild.  If it works.

Angeloy Tripomontoforia & Geraldo Hummini, co-owners of Relapse Engineering and Reservoir Design Inc. (RERD), are considering a new enhanced recovery scheme using cyclical, and seasonal flood waters as the energy input.

The design of the recovery plan involves the installation of  surface pumps, reverse engineered from common basement sump pumps, to move overland flood waters off of existing locations and down mature abandoned well bores.

The results from the firm’s detailed engineering studies and 3D modelling indicate that some of the wells may even auto-frac themselves as water influences natural fractures, resulting in greater incremental production than expected.

This operation is designed primarily to help offset the cost of rebuilding after a disaster like the 2013 flood.  When an incident occurs, flood waters are channeled down hole to create pressure and move stagnant oil to surface.  It can then be sold to offset the cost of the damages. – Angeloy Tripomontoforia, outside of Finite Resources office after a meeting to buy their Groober field.

The idea is to use the energy of the flood to re-energize and resume the flow of oil in old, under pressured reservoirs.  Talks with Finite Resources have given Relapse possible locations for start-up of the new venture.

Sources of pumps and necessary infrastructure have been sought after in all corners of the globe, as the equipment needs are going to be very specific.  Remmy 325-Q pumps and Hijaxx Tripwire 231 waterproof cabling are necessary, and other items like Mr. Clean and foam sponges are proving easier to procure.

The company has plans to re-enter and attempt testing the novel idea by artificially surface flooding 2 extinct oil fields in central Alberta , but the trouble is getting enough water to flood the surface of the fields for the pilot.

We are going to enlist the help of some international think tanks to get our heads wrapped around creating an artificial flood.  Without a flood test, we cannot prove our theory will work, and it becomes a harder sell to our investors. – Geraldo Hummini

Although RERD operates in an industry completely unrelated to upstream oil and gas, and they design and manufacture circuit boards for vibration dampeners on power tools, they are confident their theory is sound.

No results have been discussed or projected to date, but once the ball gets rolling on the Groober field pilot, any information will be sure to appear in the news whether the idea pans out or crashes and burns.

And in typical Bendovus Energy fashion, reports indicate that the energy giant is planning a similar Surface Flood EOR scheme. But with its very deep pockets, perpetual royalty holidays, and the brightest technical staff in the industry (self-proclaimed), the company should have no problem making it work and taking full credit for the quaternary enhanced recovery scheme.